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Don't call him a Wizard Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson has no problem ripping or downright insulting his players. Step forward Sasha Vujacic, who apparently is in Jackson's doghouse for a series of not so intelligent plays recently. "We just had to come to the conclusion that Sasha's just an emotional player that plays by the seat of his pants, and that's about it. He just doesn't have a brain," Jackson told reporters on Friday. "He's just out there whacking away and working really hard. He's not using his head out there at times. We're...read full article

New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul is becoming known as one of the biggest trash-talkers in the NBA.

The way Phil Jackson described Sasha Vujacic before Friday night's game, you'd think he might send the Lakers guard to visit the Wizard of Oz. Asked about Vujacic's tendency to engage in soap opera histrionics every time an opposing player mouths off to him or a call goes against him, Jackson said semi-seriously that Vujacic sometimes plays as though "he just doesn't have a brain."
"We've just had to come to the conclusion that Sasha is just an emotional player that plays by the seat of his pants, and that's about it," Jackson said. "He's just whacking away...read full article

Jackson playing head games with these two Lakers

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson has never shied away from zinging players. Friday was no different. He picked at the play of Sasha Vujacic and Vladimir Radmanovic, reserves who have had to take on larger roles because of a spate of injuries. Jackson's unhappiness with Vujacic began when the fifth-year pro picked up a late technical foul Tuesday during a loss to New Orleans. "We just had to come to the conclusion that Sasha's just an emotional player that plays by the seat of his pants, and that's about it. He just doesn't have a brain," Jackson said before Friday's game against...read full article

With the injuries, Sun Yue gets his opportunity

For the Lakers, a void has to be filled because of injuries. And that means even a rookie such as Sun Yue has to be Sun got the call from Lakers Coach Phil Jackson on Wednesday night, but it was not a shining moment for the 6-foot-9 guard from China. It was not so much that he didn't score. It was more about how uneasy he looked on the court against the Golden State Warriors. "For me, every game on the court I feel more better, more comfortable," Sun said. "I might not be getting used to the whole system...read full article

Lakers Warriors thoughts

A few thoughts about what could lie ahead this evening tonight's action...

The "Great Discombobulated Battle" of 2009? Lamar Odom's bone bruise (Fingers crossed his knee is more "day-to-day" than "month-to-month") coming on the heels of Luke Walton's sesamoiditis forces Phil Jackson to tinker even more with a suddenly shallow rotation. In the meantime, Nellie hasn't exactly been afforded the luxury of a consistent lineup himself. Just as Corey Maggette returns after a fifteen game absence to rack 23 points in...read full article

Phil Jackson understands the angst

Lakers coach knows that not all the news will be positive, even with a successful team.

The headlines scream from the pages.

Luke Walton can't get any playing time. Sasha Vujacic and Vladimir Radmanovic aren't making their three-point shots. The Lakers' defense was unacceptable against Sacramento. Sun Yue is probably going down to the Development League. OK, maybe the headlines are sometimes more whispers than screams, but the Lakers are 12-1 and still facing some questions and shrugs from reporters.

Not that Coach Phil Jackson is complaining. "You couldn't write everything positive, could you? It wouldn't be any fun. No fun," he said, smiling. In fact, Jackson tends to be more critical than complimentary in video sessions before practice. "I have to," he said. "That's what coaching's about." 

Jackson acknowledged there was even some nitpicking in stories during the Chicago Bulls' record-setting 72-10 season in 1995-96. "I'm sure there was [criticism]: ' Luc Longley couldn't run...read full article

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson sets priorities beyond winning in exhibition play

He sees it as a time to give young players a chance, tinker with lineups, challenge some veterans and see which players will round out the end of the bench this season.

The Lakers are 1-2 in exhibition play, not that Phil Jackson is worried about it. The Lakers coach has had one winning exhibition season in eight prior attempts with the Lakers, and he didn't exactly fret when asked if this would be a winning one. "I haven't really thought about that," he said recently.

After all, this is a time for the young ones, not the veterans, in Jackson's mind. It's a time to tinker with lineups, zing 6-foot-10 ball-handling forwards about not being in shape and see which players will round out the end of the bench.

"We always know that our game is going to take a little longer time to gel than most other teams," he said. "We do have most of our veterans back, but this is a time for us to play some younger players that we want to look it. Until the last of the exhibition games, I won't be playing the regulars in heavy minutes."

Jackson was 16-24 in exhibition games in his first tour with the Lakers and, after going 6-2 in 2005-06 in his first year back, the club went 4-4 and 3-4 the last two seasons.

Jackson, however, is not giving the team much time off, despite almost a week passing between games before the Lakers play Regal FC Barcelona on Saturday at Staples Center.

"There's a possible day off in a couple weeks -- the Sunday before the season starts," Jackson said.

The players have to comply, like it or not.

"We've had a couple long practices already," Kobe Bryant said. "It's an opportunity...read full article

Phil Jackson mixes lineup, trying to find right match

Lakers coach has run Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, Trevor Ariza and Vladimir Radmanovic in and out of lineup in exhibitions, and he isn't done experimenting.  It's as if Lakers Coach Phil Jackson has become this mad scientist, relishing entering his laboratory to experiment with his test subjects.

Subject No. 1 is Lamar Odom, who started the Lakers' first two exhibitions but came off the bench in Sunday night's win over the Sacramento Kings. Subject No. 2 is Andrew Bynum, who came off the bench in the first two games but started against the Kings. His other subjects are Trevor Ariza and Vladimir Radmanovic. Ariza started the first two games but was a reserve Sunday. Radmanovic came off the bench the first two games but started against the Kings.

"I'm alternating a few guys out there together, see how they play," Jackson said.  Only Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol have started all three games. "Phil is still playing with the lineup," Bryant said. "It's tough to really know what that lineup is going to look like, or what we want to be while he...read full article

Phil Jackson talking to Media

We'll have some video later in the afternoon, but in the meantime you can kill the rest of your Friday with some quotes from Phil Jackson, who met with the media in El Segundo this afternoon ahead of Monday's media day. Clean-shaven and (relatively) spry, PJ seemed eager to get going on what looks to be an interesting season. Not that he was dancing a jig or anything, but that's not really how he rolls.

You can watch casually once the film is up ... until then, we'll all have to make do with the printed word. A lot of ground is covered, but given the serious jones for anything meaty, I figure you can absorb it. Some excerpts:

On upcoming season:
"We're excited about our year. A lot of the same players back again. There haven't been a whole lot of changes. Obviously Andrew (Bynum) coming back is a change, is a difference. We think that we're healthy coming into this training camp. Obviously we have some things that are going on -- Luke is still recovering a little bit from an operation, he'll be a little slow -- but for the most part we're relatively healthy, as opposed to last year, when we had players who couldn't compete right away. We think some of our players have played probably a little too much basketball this summer, with Kobe and Pau (at the Olympics), so we'll generate a camp around their limited work, at least this first week."

On Kobe's deciding against surgery on the torn ligament in his pinkie finger:
"I think it was a good idea. Regardless of the correction that might have been done by the surgery, he's still susceptible (to injury). I don't think there's any more of a risk than there would be if he had surgery, then got his finger caught in a jersey again. There's the same risk factor. There's probably going to be a little less strength there, or whatever, but he's going to be fine. He's played all summer with it. I wasn't happy with the way he shot the ball particularly, but I think he's adjusted to all that."

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