Phil Jackson says Los Angeles Lakers can’t win 70 games, but Miami Heat are capable
Although the Los Angeles Lakers are having a great start this season, winning eight of their first nine games, head coach Phil Jackson said that the Miami Heat have a better chance of winning
70 games than their team.
Jackson, who was the coach of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls team that won 72 games, downplayed all speculation that the Lakers have a good chance to become the second team in NBA history to reach
the 70-win mark.
“It's not going to happen for us,” said Jackson. “We have a team that's an older team and we probably don't have to push for 72-10.”
The 11-time champion coach reiterated that the current schedule format in the league would make it difficult for teams to reach that mark. He said that Bulls had a favourable schedule during
that season and they were led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, who are both Hall of Famers.
However, the 65-year-old coach believes that the Miami Heat have a chance of reaching that mark and even breaking the 72-win of the 1995-96 Bulls team. Although the Heat are currently struggling,
only winning five of their first nine games, Jackson said that once LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh get used to each other, Miami will be almost unstoppable.
“I think this Miami team could,” Jackson said. “They're talented enough to do that. They may not be deep enough quite yet or have all their persons in place and teamwork just down, but if
they stay together, they have a good chance.”
And when asked about the current record of the Heat, Jackson downplayed the unexpected bad start and said that the Heat are still adjusting, but once they’ll get into the groove, winning
eight-straight games, will be an easy task for the star-studded team.
Kobe Bryant, on the other hand, declined to comment on the 70-win discussions, saying that racking up a certain number of wins is not a part of their goal. “I don't say anything, I just agree
with whatever Coach says,” he said. “You know Phil says stuff to stir the pot, don't wrap me up into that c**p. He said it; he'll stand by it.”
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