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You have to give that team some credit. Three-point shooting is not an easy task.
Phil Jackson
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We have nothing to crow about, our home record has been atrocious, we've got a long ways to go before we feel we're on top.
Phil Jackson
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There's never been anything like this in my tenure.
Phil Jackson
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Kobe is going to have a lot of detractors. Unfortunately, we are not 10 games over .500. We are going to be in the playoffs, that says something about his performance.
Phil Jackson
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I think that contributed to it somewhat. So we live with that decision.
Phil Jackson
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Basketball, unlike football with its prescribed routes, is an improvisational game, similar to jazz. If someone drops a note, someone else must step into the vacuum and drive the beat that sustains the team.
Phil Jackson
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I was quite surprised. As far as things happening locally, it's probably the best thing that's ever happened to me.
Phil Jackson
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Yes, victory is sweet, but it doesn't necessarily make life any easier the next season or even the next day.
Phil Jackson
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If you have a clear mind . . . you won't have to search for direction. Direction will come to you.
Phil Jackson
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And then mentally, do I have the patience to see that through?
Phil Jackson
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I feel like we will have better opportunities as we go along.
Phil Jackson
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He's had a great year this year. I wanted him to have an opportunity to be on the playoff roster and be successful.
Phil Jackson
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Ludicrous is probably the best word I could think of.
Phil Jackson
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Right now, we need to focus on who we are as a basketball club. I don't live with expectations, so there's nothing there I can say I expected. We're just out here kind of treading water as a basketball team right now. We're neither hot nor cold, neither fish nor fowl.
Phil Jackson
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And yet as a coach, I know that being fixated on winning (or more likely, not losing) is counterproductive, especially when it causes you to lose control of your emotions. What’s more, obsessing about winning is a loser’s game: The most we can hope for is to create the best possible conditions for success, then let go of the outcome. The ride is a lot more fun that way.
Phil Jackson
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Kareem met these guys at the door and he said, 'That effort wins on Wednesday (in Game 2).' He was very supportive. I think they heard that -- that if they give that kind of effort again, they can win.
Phil Jackson
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There's a lot of chatter in basketball and, rightfully, you want players to be talking to each other... But sometimes in practice, it gets too verbose... so I tried to take things out of the ordinary and make them special so they'd understand the difference.
Phil Jackson
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I told the guys that the team is going to double- and triple-team Kobe at the end. So he's not going to get the ball. Somebody else is going to have to step and make shots.
Phil Jackson
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I just think he's a very determined player and dedicated to what he's doing. He's doing a lot of letting things develop on their own.
Phil Jackson
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It seemed like I was going to keep stopping the game until we got it right. It was slipping away from us.
Phil Jackson
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You have to be able to psychologically help your players, support-wise, be in touch with them, so I think managing people is very important.
Phil Jackson
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It's just about momentum. About picking up momentum. Usually there's one or two keys that go in a series and then it changes or flip-flops.
Phil Jackson
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I think our defense was confused at times. There were some defensive lapses, and they have an experienced team, which took advantage of some of our young kids.
Phil Jackson
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That bracket is probably the best bracket to advance.
Phil Jackson
