Many of Jackson’s pundits, especially those who live in Boston, claim that his success is only dictated by the level of talent on his teams. There is no doubt that Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal are four of the greatest players to ever step on the NBA hardwood. However, Jordan, Pippen, and Bryant (so far) have never won a title without Jackson on the sideline. O’Neal won one in Miami, but he certainly was not the main star of that particular Heat team. You must also remember that O’Neal failed in the NBA Finals with Orlando, and was not crowned champion until he was under Jackson’s wing. Jordan struggled for years to get past the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference before Jackson took over and they began to win. Bryant and O’Neal went through several coaches before Jackson arrived and turned the Lakers into an immediate dynasty. While Jackson has certainly been blessed with great talent, he has utilized this talent in a way that other coaches have been unable to reciprocate.
Now, the above argument states that Jackson only won because of the situations he stepped into. This does not declare the level of talent that Auerbach also had at his disposal. Suiting up for the Celtics dynasty team in the 1960′s were Hall of Famers Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, and K.C. Jones, amongst other quality NBA talent. Many consider Russell the greatest center of all time, and Cousy is widely considered one of the best point guards to ever play the game. The argument that Jackson has simply had more talent than Auerbach is quite preposterous when you boil down the overall level of skill that each coach had, and in Jackson’s case continues to have, at their disposal.
Next: In Jackson’s Favor
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