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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND

February 15, 2009

Phil Jackson

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

COACH JACKSON: Well, I know you guys all want to talk about the Pau Gasol-Kobe Bryant combination we had out there tonight, so I won't talk too much about them other than we saw how dynamic they were and terrific they were.
The sub-story was Shaq and Kobe and that's what you guys are all interested in. I will just say they had a fun time. We ran a couple things for them after the second half. Shaq got going. I thought he changed the game around in the first half and told him so in the halftime discussion.

Q. When they were together, when you had them, you once said it was hard to get them to run pick-and-roll together as good as they were at it.
COACH JACKSON: It was something they had to develop together. Once they got it, they were very good at it.

Q. In the second quarter and third quarter, what was the difference? Was it the height advantage you guys had?
COACH JACKSON: Well, we just said we have to punish them. They are a smaller team. They are a quicker team.
If we take long shots and they can run out from the long shots, we are going to be in trouble. So we got to get the ball inside and stay attached to the game and score in the paint.
Most of the guys were willing to do that. Kobe hit shots tonight. He was very successful out there in his shooting. But most of all, we got the ball inside.

Q. Talk about the entertainment value Shaq has brought to his league and the All-Star Game and he also talked about this probably being his last one.
COACH JACKSON: That's to be seen. But of course Shaq's entertainment quotient is very high. I think you guys all know that from interviewing him. I don't have to go into that.
But he is just -- has a good time at this. He likes crowds. He likes to entertain. Just that pregame show is something that's very typical of Shaq to do, just looking for something extra.
He always brought some lively entertainment to our club when played with us.

Q. This doesn't really have to do with the game, but you have had a great rivalry with the Suns and there looks like there will be a lot of changes. It has been reported Terry Porter will be fired and replaced with Alvin Gentry and the trade rumors of Amar'e Stoudemire. Can you talk about this rivalry and what's going on with this franchise here?
COACH JACKSON: I really hesitate to talk about it. This is an All-Star break, and I know that the Suns are going through some discussions or there is a lot of discussions about the Suns at this time.
One of my favorite players I had on the Bulls team, Steve Kerr, is doing a lot of the running the show here along with the owner. And I know it is a concern to them, and I think it would behoove me to not speak about it rather than to talk about it.

Q. First of all, how did it feel to coach Shaq again? And what do you say about the co-MVPs?
COACH JACKSON: I was surprised. That's the first time I have seen a MVP that played 11 minutes in an All-Star Game. But he really had an impact on the game, there is no doubt about it. But the impact was short-spelled and strongly felt.

Q. Could you see a circumstance -- or would you like to see a circumstance at the end of his career like Kareem where Shaq is back with the Lakers?
COACH JACKSON: In a capacity that we've seen some of the teams I have coached, I was talking about Robert Parish coming to work with the Bulls when he was 40 years old. I always felt he had a pretty good influence on the team as the Big Chief came over, sat on the bench and helped out and played a few minutes. But it was a big influence.
That's a possibility. But as a community relation guy, as a person that coaches individually, I think Shaq is great. I don't know if he will have to stay around the game to be entertaining. I think he has such great entertainment value, he will find another venue somewhere.

Q. Considering all the things that happened five years ago, how amazing is it to you that all of this coalesced, that you are coaching the team, Shaq and Kobe are on the team, you win the game and they are both MVPs? Talk about how amazing that is considering five years ago.
COACH JACKSON: I think it is a great life lesson for people. This is something that the people work together, people find a way to get through situations, find harmony in their life, find co-habitation.
I hope this speaks volumes not just for our community in basketball but our world community too. And I like the idea that we even brought that to the All-Star Game and brought the international flavor in.
Basketball is a thing that is a game. It is played as a game, but it is serious business to these players. And it is wonderful to see them have fun at it in a game like this.
Now it is great to get back to the business of finishing this season off.

End of FastScripts

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