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Bulls Mon May 09 2011

Saying Goodbye to Phil Jackson(?)

phil jackson si.PNGThe end came for Phil Jackson in a fashion most undignified, but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate the amazing career of a Hall of Fame coach who might be the best in NBA history.

A coach who, you might recall, shares as much credit as Michael Jordan for the Bulls' six championships.

Jackson's 20-year NBA coaching career ends -- apparently -- with a record 11 championships, a record .704 win percentage and a record 229 playoff wins. His total of 1,115 regular-season wins ranks fifth all-time.

And it all started rather humbly, as he told Lacy J. Banks last month:

"I definitely believe that the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step," the Zenmaster said. "My first step was being hired by the Bulls, and it all happened in the strangest way. My birthday [Sept. 17] just happened to fall on the day [in 1987] when the Bulls had lost assistant coach Gene Littles, who left to accept a job coaching the Charlotte Hornets.

"My telephone number just happened to be on Jerry Krause's desk when somebody called him asking for it because they said they wanted to wish me a happy birthday. So since the Bulls had to pick up another coach at the last minute, those circumstances all came together to put me in the right spot at the right time. So Jerry called and offered me the job. I took my first step when I accepted the job, and the rest is history."

 
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