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What's up with Phil Jackson lately? Does he just like about everything?
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...html?eref=sihp
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- Lakers coach Phil Jackson thinks the Phoenix Suns' star point guard sometimes plays a bit too much like a running back.
With a mischievous grin, Jackson said Friday that it's tough for Los Angeles to prepare to face Steve Nash during defensive practice because of the two-time MVP's style with the basketball.
"Yeah, because you can't carry the ball like he does in practice," Jackson said. "You can't pick that ball up and run with it."
Jackson turned his palm over while he spoke, making the officials' gesture for palming of the basketball.
Nash's ball-handling and playmaking are driving the Suns' remarkable postseason success, and Jackson apparently couldn't resist the chance to get in a crack at the Canadian star while perhaps planting a seed in any listening officials' minds. Nash is averaging 17.8 points and 9 assists per game in the playoffs while leading Phoenix past Portland and San Antonio.
The Western Conference finals begin Monday in Los Angeles.
Although Jackson professes ample respect for the 36-year-old Nash's skills, the 10-time NBA champion coach's comment suggests he believes the point guard gets generous treatment from officials in the elastic rules about traveling and palming calls.
Other players and coaches have suggested a similar belief over the years, though Nash is hardly the only NBA player who draws such complaints from opponents: Kobe Bryant also has been known to stretch one of basketball's simplest rules to its limits.
And Nash isn't even the first player in this postseason to draw the attention of Jackson, whose track record of playing such games through the media goes back 20 years to his early seasons with the Chicago Bulls.
Last month before the playoffs even began, Jackson was fined $35,000 by the NBA for saying Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant was getting generous treatment from officials.
"As far as the calls that he gets on the floor, I think a lot of the referees are treating him like a superstar," Jackson said then. "He gets to the line easy and often."
Jackson also was fined two weeks before that incident when he criticized referee Bennett Salvatore after a game against San Antonio. The Lakers also had a beef with Salvatore in last season's playoffs, when Jackson criticized Denver's Dahntay Jones for playing "unsportsmanlike basketball" during a rant about inconsistent officiating -- right after a game refereed by Salvatore.
What's up with Phil Jackson lately? Does he just like about everything?
Mind games mind games
Phil already playing mind games
He's just setting the table...
^^That's how he works
what a . I get mind games, but his constant complaining just gets old.
Phil is good...
Pop in the same situation would probably just praise him and say not to look him in the eye.
If I was a ref I'd find a reason just to toss him out of the game. Tired of this ing.
I think a lot of people can't stand his ing because he has won 10 rings as a coach. When you have that, it's hard to get sympathy well at least from me.
That's just the Suns deep in your ass 4-zip-a-rooney talking.
tee, hee.
Lately? You mean since like the 90's? He's totally right though.
He started early with Durant, laid off with the Jazz and is preemptively striking the Suns 3 days out.
I don't like it, but, he must feel it necessary.
He must have a canned response for every team, he's trying to get into the ref's heads now. Had the Spurs won, I'm sure he'd have something to say about Ginobili's inner ear problems.
ing Phil, what a taint. He pisses me off but at the same time, he knows exactly what he's doing. It's beneficial for his team that he does that , so he does it. He wants to win and he doesn't give a who he pisses off in the process. I think it's funny when it's not directed at the Spurs.
I love Phil...an amazing coach...he did this to Durant as well...Nash may not respond but Phil has him and the refs thinking about those carries...gotta love it...I remember the Suns sending in tapes to the league office because of Kobe's elbow's..way to go Phil keep the pressure on...let's get it done...
I wonder if Jackson has ever considered playing a team straight up...no complaining about calls; no mind games...just playing the game.
Too bad he feels his teams need help from the refs.
I can't stand this man.
+1
He should shut up every once in a while.
Buss ain't paying him $12 million per annum to play fair.
is nash gonna watch how he dribbles cuz of this remark?
If not, the refs will.
If so, good for the Lakers.
Gentry needs to point out Shanon Brown's carrying of the ball now. lol
Gotta love Jackson no matter who you root for. You always know what he's gonna do before a series starts. You aren't the best at what you do without knowing how to grease the wheels.
Colorful characters like that make this league great.
Great coach, but he needs to STFU with his crap. It isnt working and it's makes him look stupid instead.
If I were Jackson i would've gone after Dragic instead of Nash.
Its much harder to get in the head of a 2 time veteran MVP such as Nash when instead you could go after a key player on their team who is known to have issues with confidence at times
Alot of Nash's ability to penetrate is based upon his herky-jerky moves to the basket...oftentimes to do this it's very close to a carry and once in a while it is a carry.
Nash consciously or sub-consciously will watch the way he dribbles now. If that means he has to slow down so he doesn't carry, Phil has done his job.
Or if Nash doesn't slow down and continues to carry, it may result in a carry being called by the refs.
Either way, Phil gets his way with just one simple, well-timed comment at the other team's star.
Well, Phil just put a target on the Laker's back when it comes to palming and travelling violations. We all know Stern is tired of Phil's "gamesmanship" aka talking about refs; lets see if those fouls get called in the series more on the Lakers than the Suns.
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