Phil Jackson Regarding the Lakers - Raptors Game - "They Are Very Good"

[Arsenalist]

The wins aren't coming but the Raptors aren't exactly rolling over this year. They are a team that has spent 5 seasons building around one player and now that player is gone. Personally, I think this year's team is better than last merely because they play with EFFORT.

The wins may not come easy or often but there is a real re-building effort going on and they are at least staying competitive during it.

For all those who think about how bad the Raps are, would you rather be PHI, DET, CLE, MEM, MIN, LAC?

No dout man, I've enjoyed watching them fight it out. Despite having lesser talent they've been in some games they had no business being in. If they can keep this effort up, the wins will come when the schedule softens. Like tonight. There's no room for error here, we already screwed up against the Knicks. Can't happen again.

[Pizzaman]

The wins aren't coming but the Raptors aren't exactly rolling over this year. They are a team that has spent 5 seasons building around one player and now that player is gone. Personally, I think this year's team is better than last merely because they play with EFFORT.

The wins may not come easy or often but there is a real re-building effort going on and they are at least staying competitive during it.

For all those who think about how bad the Raps are, would you rather be PHI, DET, CLE, MEM, MIN, LAC?

I agree this team will actually be better than last years team when they figure it out and the schedule softens a touch. I have enjoyed watching every game this year even though there were a couple they should have had.

[MangoKid]

This team isn't better, but they're better off. Paying Bosh 17 million plus per season would have been disasterous.

[SirChillyMost]

What do you expect Phil to say- we were barely able to beat a sub par Raptor's team?

The Raptors are their record 1-5. ***

[Krix]

What do you expect Phil to say- we were barely able to beat a sub par Raptor's team?

The Raptors are their record 1-5. ***

Phil has said a lot worse.

[SirChillyMost]

Phil has said a lot worse.

True dat.lol s m h

[Buddahfan]

I was thinking I might want to clarify how this went down

McDonald (a Laker TV guy) was talking to Jackson on Jackson's "Philosophy 101" segment during the Lakers pre-game show.

McDonald asked Jackson whether or not he was concerned about the 58? points that the Lakers gave up to the Raptors.

Now Jackson could have replied something like "Yes our defense needs to rotate better, We need to tighten our defense in the paint, we need to get back better in transition," etc, etc.

However, Jackson's response the 58? points in the paint statement by McDonald was "The Raptors are very good team, very good in transition".

So it seems to me that Jackson was complimenting the Raptors offense and their ability to score in the paint and in particular in transition, not that Jackson was saying that the Raptors overall are a very good team.

This interpretation of Jackson's remarks makes the most sense to me, because we know it to be true; that the Raptors are good on offense in the transition game and run outs. We also, know that guys like Barbosa Jack, DeRozan and to some extent even Calderon can get into the paint and score pretty good. We also have seen that the Raptors do have good transition game on offense.

So viewed in that light his statements make sense without being PC.

I think that most people who have seen the Raptors play this season would agree with what Jackson said.

Sorry for any confusion my original abstract of what was said may have caused.

[Trife76]

lol @ that meaning anything

Thats what winning coaches do they falsely compliment crap that they toss away...

[LBF]

+1. What else is he supposed to say? That they suck?

i agree, but at the same time,i doubt it would taint his image much dude has 13 rings, he could say "fuck david stern adn his whole group of goons the nba is corrupt."

that would just make him controversial hall of fame coach and might turn a few people off voting him in.

if triano said that, we'd never here his name in the nba ever again.

[Bendit]

This team isn't better, but they're better off. Paying Bosh 17 million plus per season would have been disasterous.

More like an avg. of 25 per I believe.

[thomas1]

Tothose who take Phil's words as a medal of honour I ask. What else is he suppose to say? Is he going to say they suck! No he will say what he said. Nothing to extra to read in his comments.

[mcHAPPY]

Tothose who take Phil's words as a medal of honour I ask. What else is he suppose to say? Is he going to say they suck! No he will say what he said. Nothing to extra to read in his comments.

Phil might not say they suck but he will say they aren't playing hard.

http://www.freep.com/article/2010112...ments-to-heart