NOW AND ZEN.(Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson)(Brief Article)

Phil Jackson had the best players in Chicago, and he has them again in L.A. Anyone who coaches against him, even Larry Brown, is an underdog.

If you were fortunate enough to coach Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant and win seven championships, you might find most of the world rooting for the other guy, too. Without question, Larry Brown is a long shot in the NBA Finals, but he's the sentimental favorite. Every coach who has gone to battle with an undermanned lineup would love to see Brown thump Phil Jackson. No one seems to care that when you have the best players, there's more pressure to win.

Jackson's greatest feat this season was making sure his superstars didn't come to blows. And how did he prevent this? Mostly by observing and waiting for Kobe Bryant to grow up and Shaquille O'Neal to get in shape. There was one conversation when Jackson actually told Bryant that if he really wanted out of L.A., the Lakers would try to accommodate him. But, Jackson warned, force a trade and you'll end up like Allen Iverson, getting hammered and double-teamed with no Shaq to protect you.

Brown, meanwhile, had to compromise his values to foster a relationship with his superstar just to make The Finals for the first time. Wouldn't it be the greatest coaching job ever to take that tiny, banged-up kid who misses about 7 out of every 10 shots and beat the mighty Lakers?

It certainly would be one way of hushing all the hype about Jackson being the greatest coach ever. As Brown said when referring to Jackson's old line about the Spurs' 1999 title needing an asterisk: "If he had any (bleep), he'd have coached Vancouver or somebody else, then see if he thinks it's not an accomplishment."

Take that, Phil, and stuff it in your triangle. Actually, Phil will take it. And he'll smile or, at least, smirk. He'll handle every bit of disrespect directed his way, digest it and discard it.

Why not? The man has coached his teams to seven titles and is just days away from wrapping up an eighth. He almost has caught Red Auerbach and his record of nine championships. Already, Jackson has won 19 consecutive playoff series, a feat not even matched by Auerbach, who couldn't resist his own recent dig at Jackson: "He just gets a ready-made ballclub. That should take away from some of his greatness. Jerry (West) got Shaq and Kobe. He's the guy who should get all the credit."