Phil Jackson's Exit Interview.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

On the progress of his exit meetings thus far-

"They're holding themselves responsible for so much for the game on Saturday.  I have to get them to let go of that and realize the finale of Thursday night's game led to a certain buoyancy to Phoenix's game and a certain aspect of our own game that contributed to that loss.  And not to go by that.  It's hard to judge seventh games, as I told you guys (after the game).  Those things sometimes are steam rollers, and there's nothing you can do.  Get out of the way, it's an avalanche, and that's how it was for us.   But there are things you can do to prevent that.  We weren't able to do that in the first six minutes, and then it got to be the avalanche." 

On thinking about what could have been done differently in the series-

"Well, we felt like we could have won, the first four games were really pretty good.  They got an offensive rebound and a three point play in the first game, and they got an offensive rebound and a three point play in the sixth game.  It gave them the ability to win a couple of games.  We took one in game number four in that series.  Game number five was difficult, because we had that whole issue that jumped in our face and distracted the team a little bit.  We had some things that stood in our way during the series that we just should not have in a normal series.  But they learn.  And this is a growing experience.  I don't in any way believe that this team could have won a championship.  We were all the time about getting to the playoffs and making noise in the playoffs.  That's been my whole message to these guys, and we did that.  We accomplished a goal.  So we met a goal, and I'm trying to make sure that they understand that.  That we met that goal, and that's the important aspect about this season.  They were able to rise to that occasion.  What we learn from the experience that we have is what's ultimately the important thing.  That this does not happen again to these players when they get into this opportunity or situation.  Or to this team."

On taking away the inconsistency of this season going into next-

"We have a core of players that you'd think can understand how to finish and play in games that ultimately can contribute to a success that might be better next year.  That's where our improvement level has to be.  Where we finish games that we are capable of winning at a higher rate of probability.  Given the incredibly difficult experience we had this season with losing close games, if we can increase that by fifty percent it would have made a remarkable difference.  We would have been somewhere in the mid-fifty wins.  That's the difference that this team needs to go to, to feel confident that they can go through the playoffs and not just get into the playoffs and make noise." 

Do you look forward to next season being less of a teaching situation?

"No, I think more than anything else, these players understand that discipline, execution, team play were all brought to bear in critical situations.  That's where they have to grow as a team.  When you get to the playoffs, it's crossing the t's and dotting the i's basically that really wins the games."

On where they need to improve from a personnel standpoint-

"Well, we have some core ingredients that are pretty good.  We need to improve on some areas in defense and speed that everybody's looking to improve on.  Everybody wants to improve on their defense and speed, but that's one of the areas we'd like to improve on.  We have some big players now which we didn't have a year ago as a basketball club going into (it) that Mitch and I and Dr. Buss, (we) went through and we were able to get some players that we feel like, "Okay, now we've got size that can contribute to our success," and you have to have that.  And now it's filling in around the edges there that's going to be really important."

On the Kwame-Mihm dynamic going into next year-

"We're not worried about that at all.  We know that both of them have shown their abilities.  Whether they relieve each other or or whether they play together is going to be the issue of the season next year, going into the year.  But we're very confident that both of them made big strides this season, and we're very pleased with the finish that Kwame was able to have.  And Chris gave us 70 terrific games this year, or whatever.  He missed the what, the last 12?  15?  Not including playoffs... (told he missed 17 games).  Wow.  He only missed four weeks, and we played 17 games in four weeks in the regular season?  Well, he gave us 60, 70 very good games."

On the need for more experience at guard-

"The question is are we good enough at that position, and are we experienced enough at that position.  We think that both of them (Smush Parker and Sasha Vujacic) made big strides this year.  And they were tested, both of them, in the playoffs.  That's the assessment that Mitch and I will be going through in the next week, and then discuss over the next month and a half before the draft.  And then we'll we'll work at that this summer as to how to improve."

Given the constraints on the team in terms of the cap, other contract issues, what can be set up as a realistic expectation for next year?

"We don't believe that we have to have a superstar come in here to be able to advance.  That's not part of our thinking.  Of course, if that was something that jumped out and was available, no team's going to turn that opportunity down.  But we know we have enough physical talent.  We have enough size and enough expertise to be able to compete in this Western Conference.  So it's not about going out and purchasing, or having to round up another star to go into a slot.  We showed we could play together as a team and everybody could contribute, and that was important in this playoffs because it gave them confidence to come back for next season."

On next year's realistic championship hopes-

"Usually you have to go through two or three rounds in the playoffs before you jump into championships.  You don't go from losing in the first round to next year winning a championship.  I haven't seen that happen very often.  I can't remember when it has happened, to be honest with you. So we know that that's another process.  It's a process that you go through.  Look at Dallas.  They've been knocking on the door for six years now.  Five years.  And they're still in a position where they might be able to compete for a championship, but yet nobody's really talking about them in the same breath- even though I am.  I think they certainly are a team that's showing that possibility.  However, all that being said, we think that the possibility of depth, of having some depth on this team and some experience on this team is going to be a big key."

Did Lamar's second half validate what the organization thought about him when he was brought in?

"Without a doubt, Lamar gave us and gave himself that level of expertise that we were looking for to be a complimentary player.  But not even to use that word complimentary.  Cooperative, or coworker with Kobe so that Kobe didn't have to go out there alone and carry the load and the brunt of scoring."

Can the playoff strategy used vs. Phoenix be adapted for next season (against everyone), or would it be better to keep with the framework used this year?

"We'll be able to compete in two different ways in that regard.  We'll be able to have an inside game because we know what Chris provides for us inside, that's dependable and remarkable.  Kwame's going to be able to do some things obviously through the gained confidence he has regardless of size, whether we have big guys out there competing against us or not.  But I think the other aspect of it, the mobility that this team showed with Luke starting and the ability for us to use five different players in different modes is going to be a key that this team grows towards.  Where we can make switches and guard guys and do things that we want to do defensively in the course of a season without being caught in mismatches or feeling like we're in a deficit position because we have to face speed one night and quickness another night."

Is Mihm better suited than Kwame to play the wing or face up game?

"He's got a better depth of shot.  He can shoot an 18 foot jump shot with great consistency.  But the other aspect of his game, he's not as mobile perhaps.   He's a good athlete, but perhaps not as quick as Kwame.  Kwame can guard people from all sizes on that position."

Can they play together next year?

"It wasn't smooth this year at all, but we have a long ways to go before we have to think about that."

On the ingredients to his successful relationship with Kobe this year-

"I think the mutual respect that we have for each other.  I admire the competitive nature of his personality and the fact that he prepares himself in such a professional way to compete.  And that he has developed his sense of team.  All of those things I saw as growth.  Last summer we exchanged some ideas and I gave him some books on leadership which may or may not have anything to do with it, but he was very receptive in that territory, and I think made perhaps some of the greatest growth in that area.  Not only making incentive performances that inspired his teammates, but also gestures that kept building this team's confidence towards being a team.  Working together, sharing some of the things, most critically in the prime spotlight.  Being able to share the spotlight and contribute to a team effort were all things that I think (he really) values.  And I think he also the fact that he won a scoring championship as a personal best.  Obviously for himself it was remarkable, but I think he values winning above that, and he knows that."

On being in contact with Kobe this summer.

"Yeah, there's no doubt that we've had cursory talks over the summer in the past, but they've been really more formal.  Come on up and see me type of thing in the office.  But this is going to be something different, even though it's going to be a very busy summer for him.  The obligations for him are large this summer as far as time and commitment (referring to USA Basketball).  But we know the goal and we want to maximize that in the time we're going to be able to spend together in these next couple seasons so that we can have the best performance that we can possibly generate from this team.  We worked together really well this year in a lot of the concepts and the ideas and directions that the team had to go into for various games and various periods of time.  Like being patient, and even though it was heartbreaking some of the losses we had that were close, to understand that this is what makes teams good, to be resilient under these type of things and not lose faith and hope in each other."

On how this season worked for him health wise-

"Pretty good, actually.  The therapy staff is good here.  Terrific.  It's a brutal occupation, the flying around and traveling and the kind of duress you put your system under because of the nature of the game.  But I felt much better than I did the last year I was coaching in 2004."

On his relationship with Kobe.  Did it go as smoothly as it appeared from the outside?

"It was remarkable.  From Hawaii on, we had nothing but an easy way with each other.  I think at first, we were very like, "How's this going to work?" kind of thing, but within a matter of a training camp we felt like this is going to be a really interesting year.  He really took to the idea of the offense and where he played in it."

What satisfaction is there as a coach to have reached him in that way?

"It's not only him.  It is about Kobe and I and our relationship which obviously has been one that's been tangled and also very wonderful over the last six or seven years.  But also a team that got dispirited last year, and they lost their way.  And to have numbers of those players back again and have this kind of finish with such optimism going into the summer is a really good satisfaction.  These guys had good chemistry together and they hung together, and the fact that they care as much about their final game rather than just blowing it off as well, "yeah, we lost a game we should have won."  But their responsibility and their ability to accept their own mistakes and improve upon them is really the key to how they go forward.  The accountability that they have to accept, will make that commitment that they have towards this game and this team even better for the next year and the future."

http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2006/05/phils_final_con.html



Looking forward to next season more and more with each interview. No coach in the NBA states his mind more eloquently than Phil Jackson, and he sounds very optimistic about this franchise and where it's heading.  ...PeACe

[GangstaBoogy]

I feel bad for Phil. His 14 year 1st round record went down the drain 

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

I feel bad for Phil. His 14 year 1st round record went down the drain 

Hey...At least he still never missed the playoffs.

[Teddy Roosevelt]

I feel bad for Phil. His 14 year 1st round record went down the drain 

I feel bad for him too. He's getting paid 10 million dollars to take is team to the playoffs.

[jeromechickenbone]

I think he's the type of guy that could manage damn near any type of organization / business and be successful.  I think his greatest trait is knowing how to relate to a wide variety of individuals.  I'm not a Laker fan (nor do I dislike them), but they are definitely an intriguing team to watch. 

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

I feel bad for Phil. His 14 year 1st round record went down the drain 

I feel bad for him too. He's getting paid 10 million dollars to take is team to the playoffs.

LOL@feeling bad for Phil Jackson.

[LAKERS_FAN89]

PHIL THAT MY BOYZ WE GO WAY BACK

LAKERS1

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

PHIL THAT MY BOYZ WE GO WAY BACK

 

[LAKERS_FAN89]

PHIL THAT MY BOYZ WE GO WAY BACK