| Wednesday, June 21
By Jeffrey Denberg
Special to ESPN.com |
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We all know Phil Jackson is smarter than the rest of us because he has let us know in so many, many ways.
|  | | Phil Jackson led the Lakers to their first title since 1988. |
Throughout the NBA Finals, Jackson tended to be dismissive of the Indiana Pacers. But he's that way with all his opponents over the year. The Jazz didn't measure, or the Knicks or the Heat, perhaps his favorite foils because he likes to out-Riley Pat Riley.
And Monday, a few hours before Jackson led the Lakers to their first championship since Riley did it in 1988, the man with seven rings let us know we were all pretty stupid for low-rating those Pacers.
"I can roll back the tape and probably tell you this is going to be a much more difficult series than all you guys thought," he said.
Thank you, Phil, for being right once again.
The truth is many of us thought the Pacers would put up some resistance and then pack it in when things got tough. They proved this observer wrong when they mercilessly whacked the Lakers in Game 5. They showed us the same strong stuff in Game 6 -- only the Lakers were home and they decided to play one quarter of incredible defense, and that saved them.
To Larry Bird, who they said couldn't coach, we send a salute. He had three terrific years with the Pacers. He promised he would walk away and tough as it was, he said Monday night he would keep his promise.
Bird might not have been the tactician Jackson is, but he shares with Phil the Genius a knack of relating to his players and getting the very best out of them. It's a gift Larry Brown shares but a distant man like Lenny Wilkens doesn't. It's not something you manufacture. You have it or you don't.
What Bird did was remove the fetters from Jalen Rose's game and allow him to flourish. Rose can play small forward and big guard, and he can play the point. If he can remember to shoot the ball, he will become a point guard some day. "It's Jalen's natural position," Bird said. But after the 27-year-old closed the series with games of 32 and 29 points, no one can doubt his All-Star credentials.
Around Rose and Reggie Miller, Bird developed a sensational scoring machine that produced 104, 100, 118, 120 and 111 points over the last five games of the series and made better than 50 percent of its shots over the last three games. And the Pacers did it with a center who shows up to play on alternate Tuesdays and the fifth Wednesday of ever month. You wonder how important a center is in this league, check out Rik Smits, put him in a container and ship him home to Endhoven.
The Pacers can be even better next season, presumably under Isiah Thomas, who will continue the run of famous Indiana college players in Donnie Walsh's coach's seat. They might try it without a center, play Dale Davis, Austin Croshere and Rose on the front line and beat 'em with speed and offense. It would be fun to watch as 6-foot-11 Jonathan Bender and young Al Harrington get their chance.
Miller appeared rejuvenated in these playoffs, averaging better than 24 points and working like a demon to get them, playing some powerful defense at times.
"I've always watched the Finals in years past and the teams that teams that usually wins make the plays, and they make things happen," Miller said. "Well, we were a couple of bounces away here and there from making those plays, where we would have been in this position."
On balance, he said, "It was a great year. I'm very happy."
And it was.
When they were finished, beaten 116-111 in a game that was the equal of the sensational 120-118 overtime triumph by the Lakers in Game 4, Rose spoke about Bird.
"He was disappointed," Rose said. "Being the coach, you need to be the mediator, and he wanted to try and keep guys' spirits up and congratulate us for the times that we've given him that were good. At the same time, I know it burns him just like it burns me, that we didn't win it all."
Elsewhere in the East
The Nets have to be scared of the No. 1 pick. With Jayson Williams' leg healing poorly, his career is in serious jeopardy, and guard Kerry Kittles can't seem to get past his knee pain. If the Nets take a chance on Kenyon Martin and his foot turns out to be a problem, it would be devastating to the franchise. Orlando is dangling the No. 5 and 10 picks for the No. 1 choice.
With Isiah Thomas apparently set to succeed Bird, the venerable secretary of defense, Dick Harter, could be looking for a new gig.
Lenny Wilkens will be moderately successful in Toronto. He is good with veterans who are self-starters and Charles Oakley and Antonio Davis are that. Wilkens will give Vince Carter all the shots he wants and the Raptors can win 45 games or so -- but under much calmer circumstance than with combustible Butch Carter.
Without a true center or a natural point guard, they will struggle to reach the next plateau. Wilkens, never at a loss for an excuse, will embrace these deficiencies. When his players lose games that should have been won, he will offer this admonishment: "I told them to play hard."
Sam Perkins, 39, has indicated he will retire as a full-time player, and his old Seattle coach, George Karl, might have a gig for him. Karl is toying with the idea of bring Perkins to Milwaukee as a part-time player and assistant coach. Perkins appears interested in the idea.
Eddie Jordan is the leading candidate for the top assistant's job in Atlanta. He got an interview but apparently isn't going to be promoted to head coach in New Jersey by Rod Thorn.
Jeffrey Denberg, who covers the NBA for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com. |  |
