Self-contemplation is fundamental in the practice of Zen.
Maybe we all need to contemplate: Is the Zen Master overrated?
Before the NBA Finals began, the discussion was: Is Phil Jackson the greatest coach in NBA history? Better than Red Auerbach, who coached the Boston Celtics from 1950-1967, winning nine NBA championships at the helm?
It seems we have a definitive answer to that question - no.
Jackson may have as many rings as Auerbach, but in this year's finals he looked incompetent. The brash argument that Jackson was blessed with Jordan and Pippen and Kobe and Shaq has never had more fuel than after the Lakers got dismantled in Game 6.
There were several coaching mistakes - most of them have already been pointed out - Jackson made. One of the most abhorrent, however, was having Kobe Bryant guard Paul Pierce.
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Not only could Bryant not handle The Truth, but Bryant is the spark plug to the Lakers' entire offense. By having Bryant guard MV-Pierce, he was forced to expend too much energy on the defensive end.
With the Celtics' lockdown defense focused on limiting Bryant's offensive explosiveness, No. 24 had to work twice as hard as normal to score points. Having to spend so much energy on both ends led to Bryant's tired legs, and, ultimately, a 7-of-22 shooting performance in Game 6.
Bryant may have been on the NBA All-Defensive team, but we're talking about the same guy that scored 81 points. Come on, Phil, give your superstar a break. Give him the easiest defensive assignment.
More reasons to hate on Phil:
Jackson went all Dr. Phil on us - diagnosing Pierce's injured knee in Game 1 as a fraud.
"Paul got carried off and was back on his feet in a minute," Jackson said.
I don't know if the angels visited him at halftime or in that timeout period that he had or not but he didn't even limp when he came back out on the floor. I don't know what was going on there. Was Oral Roberts back there in their locker room?"
Oh, sorry Phil. We didn't know you had a medical degree.
Then, in a press conference after Game 6, a reporter asked Jackson something to the effect of: "Were you surprised about the final score (in Game 6)?"
Jackson replied, "Hold on a moment. Let me look for you. Yeah!" Jackson belittled the reporter as if the guy asked him, "Were you surprised how bad your team got its butt kicked?"
Is this a spoiled Jackson, who got so accustomed to winning championships? Is this just a case of extreme dissappointment and disgust? Or is this the real Jackson - one lacking professionalism? I don't know, but one thing's for sure: When Kevin Garnett said, "I knocked that bully's ass out," a part of me wishes Jackson was at the receiving end of that blow.
