Phil Jackson: "Kobe had to screw up the game"

[ma 6]

Here is Phil Jackson after Memphis loss:

 

 

http://sports.espn.g...kersrout-110103

 

....

Letting the players play it out has always been Jackson's M.O. You don't see him pull guys from the game for a blown defensive assignment.

 

"I've never been a vindictive coach in that regard," Jackson said.

 

He hinted he might have to hold people more accountable. Of course, Bryant has long had free rein. Bryant took it upon himself in the third quarter, putting up 12 shots in his 10-minute scoring spree.

 

"Kobe had to screw up the game and start energizing the team by going one-on-one; it takes the rest of guys out," Jackson said. "And as a consequence that didn't bring us back in."

 

Apparently Phil is not a fan of Kobe's one-on-one play. hmm...

 

 

MA

[ma 6]

More on the drama (includes video of Phil Jacson's comments):

 

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2011/01/03/brand-new-drama-in-tinseltown/?ls=iref:nbahpt1

 

It’s a good thing we crumpled up that list of resolutions that included No. 4, “Leave the Lakers alone until the playoffs.” Because the Lakers didn’t even wait until All-Star Weekend to start taking pot shots at each other.

 

Pau Gasol is still laboring up and down the floor, Lamar Odom‘s been moved back to a bench role for Andrew Bynum, who is back but nowhere near close to playing at his very best. Ron Artest is missing in action these days, as is the Lakers’ upgraded bench crew, and then there is this Phil-Kobe drama — complete with Phil calling Kobe out after the game last night and then Kobe calling out the rest of the Lakers.

 

[BMP 424]

It's what Phil Jackson does. . . he calls his players out and hopes they get mad at him but take it out on their opponents. I believe last year he called Gasol soft and said he might start looking to give guys on the bench more minutes.

[OrlandoFeds 34]

Can't doubt the tactics of the coach with more rings than fingers.

[ma 6]

Phil Jackson downplays his words, Kobe said he deserved it:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=5985885

 

"When a game starts getting out of hand -- and rightly so -- Kobe will crank it up, not screw it up," Jackson said. "I used that term 'screw it up' but not in terms of it being an error or a mistake, but 'crank it up.' He'll go to another notch to try to get us back in the ballgame. That's something we do in the fourth quarter, that's our fourth quarter action, that's how we win ballgames. To have to crank it up and do that in the third quarter, we didn't have much left in the gas tank after that."

 

Bryant admitted Jackson's assessment was not off base, but said it is his role on the team to bear the brunt of the scoring load from time to time.

 

"[Jackson] was right, I totally broke the offense, but I did it intentionally because I felt like we needed to get something started because what we were doing just wasn't working," Bryant said. "So, I tried to kick start it and sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't but that's my responsibility. When it works out? Great. When it doesn't? I'll take the criticism for it, but I have thick enough skin to be able to do that. ... You just have to take the good with the bad. That's part of my job in the seat that I sit.

 

"I was trying to win the damn game. We were playing like [expletive], we all were, so I was just trying to get something going, trying to pump a little energy to us and it just didn't work out. But Phil doesn't really care how many shots I take, he just wants me to take them inside of the offense. [sunday] was one of those days where I was like, '[Expletive] the triangle, I need to get myself going and try to save this damn game,' and it just didn't work out."

 

 

[Trey Time 186]

There is nothing wrong with the Lakers people. ESPN just hopes there is so Miami has a chance. That whole not being able to beat Boston thing is going to keep them from even playing LA though.

[Skywise316 211]

ROFL I say "whatever" at Phil Jackson's screw it up retraction. He hasn't been standing by his jabs this season, first at the Heat/Pat Riley/SVG, he takes that back, and now this? Dude's gettin' soft in his old age.

 

Stand by your sick burns, Phil!