#360USA: Scrutiny grows around Jackson as Knicks fail again

Steve Brenner 08:53 15/02/2016
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  • Rambling explanations: Phil Jackson.

    It seemed like such a great idea. Phil Jackson, a man with 11 NBA titles to his name, was transported to New York City with the hope of finally leading the Knicks to glory. One of the most lauded coaches ever. One of the biggest, most valuable franchises on the planet. What could possibly go wrong?

    Well, fast-forward 18 months and very little has gone right. When Jackson finally wielded the axe on coach Derek Fisher last Monday, a known disciple of the Zen Master who enjoyed huge success under his guidance at the LA Lakers, it brought to an end one of the worst tenures of all time.

    Fisher’s final numbers were pitiful. The 41 year-old’s constant poker face attempted to disguise the nightmare from within, yet those pesky stats never lie. While last season’s 17-65 tally was the worst in Knicks’ history, the recent implosion of this year’s campaign (heading into the All-Star break at 23-31) was the straw that broke Jackson’s back.

    Losing nine of 10 games was the hammer-blow for a team who, thanks to the exciting promise of Latvian rookie Kristaps Porzingis, had looked like potential play-off challengers before everything fell apart.

    Yet, as the dust continues to settle, it’s Jackson’s integrity which is taking one hell of a beating.

    Don’t worry about Fisher. The man who brought embarrassment to the organisation after becoming involved in a public spat with Memphis Grizzlies star Matt Barnes over a relationship with his ex-wife will be just fine. Pictures of the pair heading off on vacation together just hours after getting the boot said as much. Fisher won’t drown; he was one year into an astonishing $20 million, five-year deal. Instead, all guns are pointed at Jackson and his dedication to the fabled ‘triangle offense’ which gave him all those title-winning rings with the Lakers and the Chicago Bulls.

    This is a man who steadfastly maintains the beliefs which brought him so much glory. You cannot blame him. Yet, what’s up for debate is whether the 70-year-old can adapt to the situation at hand.

    Current caretaker Kurt Rambis is a former Laker and worked under Jackson. Luke Walton, the Golden State Warriors assistant who performed brilliantly in the absence of Steve Kerr earlier in the season, is a sought-after candidate whom the Zen Master once described as being like a son. Kerr himself was the No. 1 choice before he decided the Big Apple wasn’t for him. One look at the Warriors right now proves what a sensible call that was. They know Jackson well.

    Former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is being championed strongly, yet is not a triangle devotee. Nevertheless, Jackson was so desperate to prove his adaptability that he posted a lengthy riposte on Twitter containing enough psychobabble to make you get yourself committed.

    In a brave attempt to explain his basketball philosophy, the man whose book ‘Eleven Rings – the Soul of Success’ was The New York Times bestseller – pulled out all the stops, albeit confusing ones.

    There was talk of transformational leadership, collective evolutions, and transactional approaches. Humanistic psychology was also mentioned.

    “Inside that style of play for that leader is the idea that there should be a system of play that includes the group,” Jackson wrote. “How that is done can include using the (triangle) system of basketball, but doesn’t exclude other systems that include group play.”

    There’s certainly a hint about broadening horizons. The rest of the ramblings, however, remain as clear as mud. Is his mind totally on the job at hand? With fiancée Jeanie Buss running the Lakers, that has meant plenty of six-hour cross country flights. There are rumors of a comfy LA return.

    Controversial Knicks owner James Dolan, meanwhile, remains firmly in the background. He may have started this whole mess, but Madison Square Garden, the most expensive place to watch basketball in the US, boasts an average attendance of 19,812 – the fifth-best in the NBA. Local TV ratings also have increased 37% from this point last season.

    Does he care? And does Jackson?

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