Maybe now we can put to rest one of Basketball's nonsensical debates about where Phil Jackson rightfully belongs in the coaching pantheon.
Contrary to popular belief, the legendary Red Auerbach didn't have to move over Sunday night when the Los Angeles Lakers won Jackson a record 10th NBA championship as head coach over the Orlando Magic . The truth is the Zen master had long ago surpassed Auerbach as pro Basketball's best coach. It's just that historians and those misty-eyed about the Boston Celtics were too stubborn to acknowledge it. How many times did we have to hear the same caveat from those downgrading Jackson's accomplishments? It went something like this: "Yeah, but Phil would never have won those first nine titles without the Chicago Bulls duo of Michael Jordan/Scottie Pippen, then Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles."
Yeah, as if Auerbach's nine championships in Beantown were won by a bunch of above-average players who overachieved due to his brilliantly devised game plans. Look it up. You'd be hard pressed to find a coach in any major sport who had more great players throughout his starting lineup than Basketball's most famous cigar-smoker.
All nine of Auerbach's ring-bearing Celtics squads were like a mini-Dream Team. In most instances, each of his top seven players (five starters and two backups) were future Hall of Famers. In the late 1990s, five of those Celtics -- Bill Russell, Sam Jones, Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman and John Havlicek -- were named among the top 50 players of all time.
Taken in that context, Jackson is the one who did more with less. Despite the consensus of Jordan being the game's best player, Jackson's teams in Chicago or L.A. weren't anywhere near as deep as the massive collection of talent Auerbach assembled.
Do you even remember who the Bulls' third-best player was on those title teams? It was Horace Grant on the first three-peat (1991-93), then Toni Kukoc ('96-98) in the second part of that dynasty. The top player behind the Shaq/Kobe duet was Derek Fisher, who is still hitting big shots for the Lakers. But talent-wise, none of Jackson's third wheels are in the same league as some of Auerbach's top benchwarmers.
Plus, Jackson had to win 151 playoff games to get those 10 titles, compared to just 74 victories during Auerbach's championship runs.
Let's also not forget Russell coached the Celtics to two consecutive titles right after Auerbach left the sideline, yet Jordan's teams were barely a playoff threat without Jackson running the show.
The real testament to Auerbach's greatness was actually as a general manager. He hand-picked all those Celtics Hall of Famers, which led to seven more titles when his job was strictly in the front office.
But when it comes to directing the show on the floor, Phil Jackson is the Michael Jordan of NBA coaches.
No debate required.
gene.frenette@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4540
