Lakers coach Jackson to have hip replacement

Warhawk

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2607824

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson, owner of an NBA-record 178 playoff victories, will have surgery to replace his right hip Tuesday -- the day his team opens training camp.

"It's to the point where he can't really function without having surgery," Lakers spokesman John Black said Friday. "He's had a problem with it for a long time. He was hoping that by doing physical therapy, it would get better over the course of the summer. Instead of getting better, it got worse."
The surgery will be performed at the Centinela Hospital Medical Center by Dr. Lawrence Dorr of the Arthritis Institute in Inglewood. Jackson is expected to be released from the hospital Wednesday.
There was no timetable listed for Jackson's return, but Black said he expects the 61-year-old coach to be back on the job before the NBA season begins Oct. 31.
Assistant coaches Kurt Rambis, Frank Hamblen, Brian Shaw and Jim Cleamons will share coaching duties while Jackson recuperates.
"The plan is to have Kurt organize practices, but all four of them will run the team equally in Phil's absence," Black said. "It will be a group effort."
Black said Jackson will discuss his surgery Monday at the conclusion of the team's annual media day.
Jackson coached the Chicago Bulls to six championships in nine seasons during the 1990s, and the Lakers to three titles in six years since then. His nine championships tie him with former Boston coach Red Auerbach for the most in NBA history.
Jackson's 877 regular-season wins are the ninth-most in NBA history, and his .713 winning percentage is the best ever.

Stein: Leading Pains
stein_marc_m.jpg
Friday's disclosure that the Zenmeister needs an immediate hip replacement means he'll likely be unable to coach any of training camp or the exhibition season and perhaps even longer than that. The Lakers are hopeful Jackson will be ready for their Halloween Night season opener against Phoenix, but that would be a faster-than-normal recovery. The natural question: Why didn't Jackson, who has been hobbling noticeably for years, have the hip replacement soon after last season? The answer: Jackson badly wanted to avoid an operation and was counting on physical therapy and rest to get him sufficiently mobile for Year 2 of his three-year contract. For more of Marc Stein's blog, click here
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Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press
 
Well, that might put a bit of a damper on the start of the Lakers season. And I feel all torn up about that, too. :)

Hope he heals quickly, though. Good luck, PJ.
 
I think he'll be good to go for the season. The dude had freakin' heart surgery during the playoffs a few years ago!
 

I vote for a cowbell in Phil's left hip!! :p Just kidding (sorta)

Get well soon Phil. I love watching your face when the KINGS are stomping THAT team!!

Oh, and have fun in metal detectors!!;)
 
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2614800

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson is recovering well following right hip replacement surgery and walking with a cane, assistant Kurt Rambis said Thursday.

Jackson underwent the operation Tuesday at the Centinela Hospital Medical Center, and was discharged from the hospital a day later.

Rambis said that Jeanie Buss, Jackson's longtime girlfriend, told him the 61-year-old coach was walking with a cane. Buss is the Lakers' executive vice president of business operations and the daughter of team owner Jerry Buss.

"That's pretty good improvement," Rambis said. "He's more upright, too, which is probably something hard to believe."

Rambis has been running practice in Jackson's absence and will continue to do so until Jackson's return.

"His timetable is up to him and how well he heals," Rambis said regarding Jackson's return to the team. Jackson told reporters on Monday -- a day before the start of training camp -- that he expects to be on the bench Oct. 31, when the Lakers open the season against Phoenix.

Meanwhile, the Lakers continued to work on defense, and sprinkled in some of the triangle offense Thursday. There were times during a scrimmage that Tex Winter, the team's basketball consultant who is considered the guru of the triangle offense, stopped the action and pointed out mistakes.

"Whether [Jackson] is here or not, there's a learning process that we have to go through with these guys," Rambis said. "We've got a bunch of guys trying to learn the offense, guys learning how to play together. So, its a process."

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press
 
Jackson returns following hip surgery

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/nba/10/09/lakers.jackson.ap/index.html

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson attended a scrimmage and a good portion of his team's practice the past two days, and made his presence felt at Monday's workout.

Jackson, who had right hip replacement surgery last Tuesday, jumped right in at practice and demanded his players run a part of the offense assistant coach Kurt Rambis was holding back.

"He came in and one of the elements of the offense that I've been holding onto because I didn't feel like this group was ready for it, he shoved it right down their throats this morning," Rambis said. "So he got them going on that part of the offense."

Rambis, who has been running practices in the 61-year-old coach's absence, said the offense Jackson insisted the players run was simply another way to initiate the triangle.

Rambis said Jackson was around for about three-quarters of Monday's practice, but wasn't there when the media was allowed in.

There is no timetable for Jackson's return on a full-time basis, although he said the day before his surgery he expects to be on the bench Oct. 31 when the Lakers open the season against the Phoenix Suns.

Jackson won't be with the Lakers on Tuesday night when they play Utah in Fresno to begin the exhibition season.

Rambis said Jackson spoke to the team about communicating on defense and passing, and the players seemed to be paying strict attention.

"He's their ultimate leader," Rambis said. "He's the one that's going to be commanding them for the majority of the season."

Rambis said Jackson probably will return when his energy level is back to normal.

"You can see that he's getting better, feeling better," Rambis said. "Even from last night to this morning, he was spryer today and barking out commands to the guys. You could tell the itch was there with him. He's eager to get back."

Kobe Bryant, the defending NBA scoring champion who's still recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee three months ago, did a little work Monday without facing any defense. Bryant won't play Tuesday night, and said his return to practice remains day-to-day.

He said he will continue to do weight training and therapy on his knee.

"I'm feeling pretty good," Bryant said. "We're right on schedule. We're just taking our time and were taking it day by day, but I feel it getting better, getting stronger."

Copyright 2006 Associated Press.
 
It is no secret that I very much dislike Phil Jackson, however, I am happy to hear that he is doing well.
 
6th said:
It is no secret that I very much dislike Phil Jackson, however, I am happy to hear that he is doing well.
Click to expand...

Ditto. You may not like the man (or, especially, the team ;) ), but I hope for a speedy recovery and long healthy life for him.



I also hope he has a string of 9th seed finishes in the west and loses every game the Kings play against his team, but that's another story.... :D
 
6th said:
It is no secret that I very much dislike Phil Jackson, however, I am happy to hear that he is doing well.
Click to expand...

Who do you dislike more, Phil Jackson or Bill Walton and why? Gotta pick one.
 
Gargamel said:
Who do you dislike more, Phil Jackson or Bill Walton and why? Gotta pick one.
Click to expand...


Tough choice, Gargy. I dislike them both. They are very different though.

I would have to pick Phil when I think about it.

1. He coaches my most hated team.
2. He has said some very very demeaning things about the place I call home (and I love).
3. He is so conceited he makes me want to hurl.

I could go on, but those are my top 3 reasons.

While I dislike Walton, it is not with near the animosity I feel toward Jackson.
 
Bill Walton? i know hes annoying, but Phil Jackson by fair does anyone remember when he talked smach about Sacramento? ignorance and stupidity is 2 different things.
 
TheJoker said:
Bill Walton? i know hes annoying, but Phil Jackson by fair does anyone remember when he talked smach about Sacramento? ignorance and stupidity is 2 different things.
Click to expand...

The question was "Who do YOU dislike more, Phil Jackson or Bill Walton?"

You're free to pick whomever you choose but my answer was, is and forever will be Bill Walton.

Ignorance and stupidity ARE two different things. My choice of Bill Walton involves neither.
 
Phil. Walton just can't help himself. I almost feel sorry for him sometimes. Phil is deliberate in everything he does. :)
 
Warhawk said:
Phil. Walton just can't help himself. I almost feel sorry for him sometimes. Phil is deliberate in everything he does. :)
Click to expand...

I laughed aloud at this one tidbit from an old game I saw recently. He and Snapper were having this debate about Shaq facilitating everything w/ his superb passing:

BW: There's another one of those passes I was talking about, Snapper.
Snapper: That's only the 2nd one he's thrown...
BW: (pauses...) Balderdash...
Snapper and Marv: Lol.

In the same game he referred to an airball as a great pass and they just laughed and went on commentating.
 
walton, i like. phil, i don't really hate him but i have stopped liking him during the phoenix-chicago finals. for some reason, i thought he was too conceited for my taste; cannot really recall why, though.
 
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