End Of the Zen? Phil Jackson’s Decision Looms Large Over Los Angeles Lakers

In terms of winning NBA championships, Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson has had more career success in the city of Chicago, but he could not be a better fit for the bright lights of Hollywood and all the drama it entails.

Jackson's laid-back nature and cynical attitude are a perfect fit for his talented team of dysfunctional players, and even better when considering how much he has done for the Los Angeles media.

He has no fear of taking digs at his team, officials, or the league in general, but you have to listen closely because his responses are always cloaked in subtlety, and that's what makes him such a media darling.

Finding out exactly what Jackson meant while giving a statement is part of his brilliance, and that same ambiguity carries over to his role as coach of one of the NBA's most successful franchises.

No one ever knows what is going on in the head of Jackson, and some of his decisions regarding the utilization of his roster are perplexing to Laker fans, but it's hard to argue the results.

It can be debated, but by all means, Jackson is the most successful coach to ever roam a NBA sideline and he has ten championships and the most playoff wins in NBA history to prove it.

Jackson is very cerebral, so it is no surprise he took Tex Winter's idea for the triangle offense and transformed it into one of the most intricate and dominant schemes the NBA has ever seen.

Most observers don't understand it, and the main reason is because it's more of a philosophy than a set formation, and it takes advantage of every player's ability on the court.

Of course the triangle takes a superior player to make it work, one who is capable of adjusting according to the circumstances, and taking a game over from any point on the court, and Jackson has had two of the very best.

Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan have made Jackson's life as a coach a lot less stressful...

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