Some Laker headlines after they lost their 4th straight to the upstart Mavericks:
Phil Jackson will not be coaching the New York Knicks Next Year
The Lake Show Closes
LA Attends Their Own Funeral
Goodbye Lakers, goodbye Phil Jackson
The Lakers’ Sad Flameout Ends Kobe Bryant’s Last Chance At A Sixth NBA Title
Wha’ Happened?
The Lakers lost in 4 straight to the suddenly invincible Dallas Mavericks, and the popular story line for Kobe, Dirk, Phil, and others is irretrievably altered.
Kobe was floating towards Jordan territory for the ill-informed, and top ten or possibly top 5 territory for the rest of us. But, no more. Michael Jordan wasn’t ever in danger even if Kobe and Co. had won their 3rd straight, but now even the casual fan will look at their career accomplishments and realize he isn’t close to the GOAT Michael Jordan.
Phil Jackson is the winningest coach in NBA history, and that’s including Red Auerbach, who is the standard by which NBA coaching is measured. Now it’s Phil who is the standard. My old man writes him off now saying: “He got all Hollywood when he moved to LA,” but he won five more titles with Shaq/Kobe, then Kobe/Pau/Odom. He’s the Zen Master, and regardless of what you think of his personality, you can’t argue with him when he doesn’t have enough fingers to wear all his championship rings.
He’ll be missed…until he comes out of retirement to coach the Knicks? please
The Mavericks almost played second fiddle to the Lakers after sweeping them. With the smorgasbord of story lines for the Lake Show, everyone forgot the Mavericks just swept the two-time defending champions in convincing fashion.
Aside from a stifling defense and actual shooting from Jason Terry and the little guy that could, JJ Barea, Dirk Nowitzki has completely silenced all of us for the hell we put him through after the lost Heat championship series and the 1st round Golden State loss the next year when he won the MVP.
Dirk’s more comfortable just being an under-the-radar super-duper star, and that’s what he’s done this year. It’s incredible what he’s produced throughout the last decade, and he’s probably the greatest foreign-born NBA player of all time right now after knocking off the Lakers (Sabonis is still the ultimate what if?).
Nowitzki could also leapfrog Sir Charles and the Mailman if he can get to the finals and win this year. He’s already done more than enough to silence any one that thinks of him only as a good “regular season player.” He’s done justice to the - largely statistical belief - he’s the best player to take your last shot.
His length+shooting acumen means he can do a falling away shot off one foot from the elbow, and it’s a high percentage shot over anybody in the league. There’s no one else who can do that. It’s totally unguardable, and something he can set up for whenever he wants. Not since Jordan’s fall away or Kareem’s sky hook has one shot been so unstoppable.
Dirk Nowitzki should be the story going forward in the Western Conference Finals, but we should all take a moment to honor Phil. There’s no one else like him, and he’s the best coach of all time.
I just want him to recommend a book to me.
[Pics via Yahoo sports]