Daily News: Jackson laughs of ZO's barb

Mamba · Jun 12, 2009

ORLANDO, Fla. - Lakers coach Phil Jackson reacted with predictable sarcasm when asked Thursday night about some things former NBA standout Alonzo Mourning had to say about his coaching skills during the Finals.

Mourning suggested it was Kobe Bryant rather than Jackson who was actually guiding the team through its series against the Orlando Magic.

"To tell you the truth, Phil doesn't have to do anything but call timeouts," Mourning said on a conference call from a charity golf tournament. "Kobe is the facilitator. He's he one driving the mission of this particular team right now. The communication left he has with his teammates, you can just see it.

"I think Phil is just showing up, to tell you the truth, and Kobe is doing all the work to make this team successful."

Jackson smiled when relayed the comments before Game 4.

"That's a pretty good assessment from a guy who played 15 years or so in the NBA," Jackson said of Mourning. "Kobe is doing a lot of the work. I'm just here kind of sitting on my chair."

No offense

Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar doesn't think much of Dwight Howard's offensive game, telling reporters, "He's still offensively kind of raw. He doesn't have a go-to move yet. Right now, he's kind of predictable."

Howard, the Magic's 23-year-old center, has an array of dunks and hook shots, but hasn't developed any secondary moves such as a short jump shot. Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol of the Lakers have it in their repertoires.

Abdul-Jabbar earned a place in Springfield, Mass., by perfecting the skyhook, an unblockable shot no other player has been able to imitate. Abdul-Jabbar now serves as a Lakers assistant coach, tutoring Bynum and Gasol.

"Kareem is right and he understands that in order to be a good player you have to add different things to your game," Howard said when told of Abdul-Jabbar's comments. "I've tried to do the skyhook just like him, but he had more range and more touch.

"He was shooting skyhooks from the 3-point line, and I'm still working on it from the paint, so I have a long way to go."

Abdul-Jabbar later said on his Twitter feed that his comments were in response to a reporter's question about Howard's game and not intended as a put-down.

International appeal

Gasol has spoken several times about how his love of basketball was fueled in part by the Dream Team's gold-medal run when the Olympic Games were held in his hometown of Barcelona. He said the Finals have gained in stature since 1992.

"It's huge," he said of the interest in the Finals in Spain. "I think it's huge even worldwide. Since the NBA has become more international, I think it's even bigger, because we've got people all over the world really watching the Finals, and a lot of kids watching us play and dreaming about maybe one day being there."

It gives Gasol a warm feeling to think about all the young fans watching him now.

"You want to focus on what you've got on the table, but at the same time, if you stop and think a little about what's going on around it, it's pretty amazing," he said. "It's pretty amazing, the situation and the spot that we're in today."
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http://www.dailynews.com/lakers/ci_12574774

Mamba · Jun 12, 2009

Daily News a little late with the Kareem piece ;]

LA Times, I believe it was, had that out yesterday.

huevonkiller · Jun 12, 2009

Gasol has spoken several times about how his love of basketball was fueled in part by the Dream Team's gold-medal run when the Olympic Games were held in his hometown of Barcelona. He said the Finals have gained in stature since 1992.

"It's huge," he said of the interest in the Finals in Spain. "I think it's huge even worldwide. Since the NBA has become more international, I think it's even bigger, because we've got people all over the world really watching the Finals, and a lot of kids watching us play and dreaming about maybe one day being there."
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Thank God for those showboating Dream Teamers.

deception · Jun 12, 2009

phil jackson is a pimp. in the words of patrick roy- ill take my championship rings and plug my ears.

Chutney · Jun 12, 2009

And Alonzo Mourning continues to be a gigantic dick.

deception · Jun 12, 2009

Chutney said: ↑

And Alonzo Mourning continues to be a gigantic dick.
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chutney- are u a closet homosexual?

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Daily News: Jackson laughs of ZO's barb

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Daily News: Jackson laughs of ZO's barb

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