Just my opinion and I said it from the beginning, but the Lakers should have gone with Phil instead of D’Antoni. The Zen Master knows! Phil Jackson opened up in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated and talked about the Lakers, his future, Dwight Howard and much more.
Check out what he has to say about Dwight after the jump and a link to the full article. It’s a great Q&A piece.
According to Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY Sports:
Phil Jackson has observed the Lakers and he thinks he has found the biggest source of their woes.
In a wide-ranging interview with Sports Illustrated (conducted prior to Dr. Jerry Buss’ death Monday), Jackson said that Dwight Howard hasn’t measured up to his potential — and the Lakers’ playing style is to blame for the disparity.
“They just don’t put the ball in the post,” Jackson said when asked what stood out to him about the Lakers. “They’ll use a screen-roll to get the guy in the post. But there’s no consistent plan to do it. Yes, Kobe will go in there. But Dwight [Howard] just doesn’t get any touches. They’ve basically eliminated his assets.”
Jackson went on to explain that Howard’s health had to be factored into any explanation for his struggles.
“He’s starting to come around, but he has a massive upper body to carry around,” Jackson said. “He’s a terrific athlete, but he still has to get all that back. He’s looking better all the time, but his problem right now is turnovers. He’s got to have a little better recognition, and that will help him gain the confidence of his teammates and coach, which he does not have now.”
