People are very much fond of basketball and the most talked about is the NBA games. However one often is so focused on the team itself and on the members of the team.
But there is still someone that leads the team that shouldn’t be ignored. Do you know who it is? It is the coach.
The coach is the brain of the team. He is the one responsible to think for the plays and the strategies that the team should use in games and in specific situations. He is the one responsible to train the players so that they should be physically and mentally ready for the upcoming games.
The coach is responsible to unite the team and remind the members to act as a team, and play for the team and not for themselves. Thus, the coaches should not be taken for granted. The Los Angeles Lakers are lucky for having one of the best coches in the NBA today. The present Los Angeles Lakers coach is Phil Jackson.
Who is Phil Jackson?
Let me tell you some facts about Philip Douglas “Phil” Jackson. The present Los Angeles Lakers coach was born on September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana. When he was in high school, he already played varsity basketball.
He led his team two state titles. Phil Jackson was not only interested in playing basketball, he also played football, he was also a member of a baseball team and he played as a pitcher, he also joined track and field competitions.
Phil Jackson is a former professional American basketball player and was once a coach of Chicago Bulls. He was a former player of the New York Knicks he even won two rings in year 1970 to 1971 . During his leadership in Chicago Bulls the team won 6 NBA titles and the team won 3 consecutive championship games.
When he transferred to the team Lakers he immediately showed how great he was as a coach. He was able to make the team win the season 2000 NBA championship and because of the O’neal and Bryant tandem in season 2002 they were able to gain two additional titles.
One of the reason of Phil Jackoson’s, the Chicago Bulls’ , and the Los Angeles Lakers’ success is the so called triangle offense. The chief proponent of the triangle offense was Tex Winter, Phil Jackoson’s assistant, and not the present Los Angeles Lakers coach.
Phil Jackson, with the help of Tex Winter, designed complex offensive and defensive strategies that actually enhanced the team’s performance. The triangle offense was of great help to the team and helped the team to be better players.
He is said to be one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. The numerous championship trophies and 11 NBA titles are enough evidence that he was an excellent coach. In fact he was awarded the Jackson Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching award in year 2000 and was considered one of the 10 greatest coaches in league history during the National Basketball Association’s 50th anniversary celebration.