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Zen master Jackson outwits Larry Legend
Posted: Monday June 01, 1998 12:14 AM
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Gettin' it done: Jackson now has a career playoff record of 107-39 (AP) |
CHICAGO (AP) -- Larry Bird told his Indiana Pacers from the day training camp began that they were good enough to win it all.
It just won't be this year.
The rookie coach was finally outdone by better players and some cunning strategy from Phil Jackson, who showed why he has five NBA titles -- with a possible sixth just one more series away.
With stingy defense and huge games from Michael Jordan, Toni Kukoc and the reserves, the Chicago Bulls beat Indiana 88-83 Sunday night in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. Chicago will play the Utah Jazz for the NBA title, with the Finals beginning Wednesday in Salt Lake City.
Jordan scored 28 points, Kukoc had 21 and the Bulls outrebounded Indiana 50-34, including a 22-4 advantage on the offensive glass.
"We wanted to win a championship," Bird said. "I knew we could be here at the end and do it if we could make plays. We didn't and Chicago did."
This conference finals was about Michael Jordan vs. Reggie Miller, the dynasty vs. the up-and-comers and the Bulls vs. Chicago's management.
But it was also about Jackson vs. Bird.
Jackson is the emotional, grown-up hippie who quotes Zen philosophy and has somehow managed to meld a team out of three of the best players ever -- Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. Bird is the stoic who parlayed average talent into three championships as a player through obsessive hard work and dedication.
After missing the playoffs last season, Bird came in and told the Pacers he thought they were good enough to win it all. They responded with a franchise-record 58 victories, and Bird was named the NBA's coach of the year.
Ask any of the Pacers, and they'll give Bird all the credit.
"For guys who haven't been as far as we are right now, for him to say, `I wouldn't [lie to] you, I really feel like you can win it all,' that means something," Travis Best said. "He's been around. He's seen a lot."
Bird's Pacers won 58 regular-season games, but fell one victory short of the NBA finals (AP) | |
But it wasn't enough to best the Bulls.
After sticking with a six-man rotation throughout the series, Jackson shook things up in Game 7. With the Bulls trailing by 13 points midway through the first quarter, Jackson subbed Rodman for Kukoc, hoping the mercurial, tattooed and multi-hued rebounding machine would spark the Bulls. He did, and Chicago went on a 7-0 run.
With the Bulls still trailing, Jackson put Steve Kerr in to start the second quarter and sent in Jud Buechler with almost 10 minutes left.
"We were behind, so he wanted some offense. He kind of took a chance because Best outplayed me this series," Kerr said. "Then he went on a hunch and went with Jud, who had a great game. It says he trusts us, he trusts his bench."
Kerr scored eight points -- including two huge 3-pointers -- and Buechler added four rebounds. By halftime, the Bulls led 48-45. Chicago's bench had finally outscored the vaunted Pacer reserves 12-10.
"I learned something about our bench: To stick with our bench and not back away from it," Jackson said. "I think that's what I have to consider and keep considering that we can still find ways to win ballgames, even though sometimes we feel a little short-handed."
In the second half, Jackson was at his strategic best. When Rik Smits picked up his fourth foul with 4:43 left in the third quarter, Bird immediately yanked him. But when Pippen picked up his fourth foul nine seconds later, Jackson kept him in.
He did replace him with Ron Harper a few minutes later, but Pippen was left in long enough that he could have picked up another -- or even two -- fouls.
When Rodman picked up his fifth foul with 10:47 left in the game, Jackson took him out. But he started subbing him in and out with 5:34 left, keeping the defensive pressure on the Pacers.
The game plan worked. Chicago forced turnovers and dominated the boards while the Pacers picked up foul after foul. Despite Pippen, Rodman and Luc Longley all playing with five fouls, it was Indiana's Antonio Davis who fouled out.
But not even that was enough to get a rise out of Bird, whose only sign of life on the bench is when he's chomping furiously on his gum. The statues at Madame Tussaud's wax museum show more emotion with their painted-on smiles.
And when the game ended, Bird looked just like he had all game, while Jackson wore a wide grin. The rookie will have to wait another year, because the Zen master isn't done yet.
"I've seen my team grow," Bird said. "I didn't get them to where I wanted to take them, though. I'll talk to my players and see if they like the way they're going or whether they want someone else to lead them. It's been an enjoyable year."
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NBA Finals
