Phil is a teacher he teaches how to stay focused not to be rattled control the tempo take care of the basketball DEFENSE you think Kobe came into the league thinking that way? everbody preaches it Phil gets it across he is NOT the best X's and O's coach but he is a great ego manipulator and obviously that is a very important skill in the NBA 9 rings and all
Invisible: I'll give you that Malone and Stockton were a great duo, but some of those others made me shake my head.. Robinson and Duncan?? Mr. "Charmin" aka the little mermaid along with Duncan...lmao. How many times have they lost to the Lakers in the playoffs in a row?? God, you can do better than that. But no, you come up with Payton and Kemp??!! ROTFLMFAO!! Payton, although a punk, is great...Kemp is ummm...not. If you are going to include those 2, you might as well include Barkley and KJ. After all, KJ had some fine seasons just like Kemp did, probably more. However, none of those guys not even Malone, Stockton, and Barkley had the willpower to win compared to Jordan. Hell, he is the greatest player of all-time. If he wasn't around, as much as it pains me to say this...I think Malone and Stockton win at least one maybe two rings. Look, I know that I'm not going to change the minds of the people who think that Phil is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I just wish someone in the media had the balls to write an article on Jackson that doesn't kiss his ass and bring up the points that I (and others) have brought up about him. That is the crux of me posting in this thread. I'll just have to agree to disagree with you guys, but you'll have to excuse me if I don't believe this Phil hype.
Manny, I put Payton and Kemp from that year they went to the finals and the year before when they were the first seed in the playoffs (who later choked to the Nugs). Kemp had increased his averages every year since he joined the NBA, was explosive to the rim and didn't have a fat enough ass at that time to play center. The guy had a dangerous inside game and pretty decent range. What happened after those years doesn't change what he did. It would be in the perspective of what Kobe is doing now, increasing his averages every year before this year and the potential Kobe has, and what Shawn Kemp had. As for Timmy D and co. it might be a stretch, but they did finish out 15-2 that year. And they would've made it competitive the year after if Duncan wasn't injured and lost to the Suns. Players and teams are different every year and I try to put that in perspective of what they did and not who they are now. There's some anti-Phil articles out there. Enough for you to be satisfied, but since he won 3 in a row again, it's gonna be in the minority.
Kemp was awesume then. He could go toe to toe with 2 of the best PFs of all-time then (Malone and Barkley) and give them fits. I assure you the Kemp of that day could hold his own with TD as well.