Is Alvin Gentry Outcoaching Phil Jackson?
It goes without saying that the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers are two of the best teams in the Western Conference and the NBA. They’re the last two teams standing in the Western Conference; they’re perennially standing atop of their division; they’re rosters are stacked with All-Stars. The general consensus amongst NBA fans is that the Lakers are the better of the two teams. They’re the top seed in the playoffs; defending champions; they have the arguably the best player in the league in Kobe Bryant; and, arguably the best coach in NBA history in Phil Jackson. Yet, the Lakers are currently tied 2-2 with the Suns in the Western Conference Finals.
Much of the discussion regarding this series pertains to the Suns’ defense, which has kept the Lakers high scoring offense in check. Suns coach Alvin Gentry has played the Suns in a zone, and the Lakers have been unable to adjust thus far. Though Kobe is still putting up typical Kobe numbers, and Pau Gasol led the Lakers scoring in their Game Two win, the supplementary scorers have not made very much of an impact, and the team as a whole looks rather befuddled by the Suns’ defense. Phil Jackson has seen plenty of zones in his coaching career and is undoubtedly capable in making the necessary coaching adjustments that, coupled with player execution, allow his team to win. However, that has not been the case during Game Three and Game Four or the Western Conference Championships, and perhaps, Alvin Gentry is outcoaching Phil Jackson.
Other than the zone, the Suns other recipe for success during the last two games has been their bench. Gentry again has to be credited for this prosperity. He has found a successful blend of playing time between his starters and bench players. Channing Frye had the hot hand and played 35 minutes in Game Four. Gentry also ran with Goran Dragic, keeping All-Star Steve Nash on the bench for a chunk of the forth quarter while Dragic was playing well. All in all, in Game Four, the Suns bench scored fifty-four points.
Granted, there are other factors other than coaching that have led to the Suns winning two games in a row – namely, Andrew Bynum playing injured and the Suns players’ superior in-game execution of their game plan. Nonetheless, responsibility for a loss often times falls with the coaches. Not to discredit the Suns, who are a superb team, but Phil Jackson has not done an adequate job leading the Lakers to victory this series, considering his and the Lakers’ winning pedigree (Phil has brought his team to the playoffs every season as a NBA head coach!). If he does not step it up and change his game plan to combat Gentry’s successful coaching, it will surely be a disappointing season in L.A.
