Phil Jackson Takes Record 10th NBA Crown—Celebrates with a Cigar

I must defer to Cigar Aficionado on this article on Phil Jackson of the LA Lakers. This will be the beginning of my weekly series dedicated to fine Cigars and those who enjoy them.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Features/CA_Feature_Basic_Template/0,2344,2790,00.html

Posted: Monday, June 15, 2009

By David Savona  

The Lakers won the NBA championship last night, beating the Orlando Magic 99—86. The win gave coach Phil "the Zen Master" Jackson his tenth NBA title as coach, making him the most accomplished man ever to coach in the NBA, and he intended to celebrate with a smoke.

Jackson, who had been tied at nine victories with Red Auerbach, a man who was seldom seen without a cigar in hand, told the media after the game that he would fire up in honor of moving past the Celtics legend. "I'll smoke a cigar tonight in memory of Red," Jackson said. "He was a great guy."

Jackson won his first six titles with the Chicago Bulls, leading a team that included Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. He left the Bulls in 1998, after feuding with Chicago general manager Jerry Krause, and took a year off before returning to coaching with the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first year with Los Angeles, the Lakers won the NBA title. Last night's victory was his fourth with Los Angeles.

As gaudy as Jackson's ten NBA championships are, even more impressive is the fact that teams under his stewardship have won three in a row on three occasions: his Bulls did the "three-peat" twice, and the Lakers did it once.

Auerbach (who died in 2006) and Jackson have both worn the title of cigar aficionado. Auerbach smoked victory cigars on the Celtics bench when his team was comfortably ahead, and was so synonymous with cigars that back in the days when one could still smoke in some restaurants, Boston's Legal Seafood put these words on its menu: "No cigar or pipe smoking, except for Red Auerbach."

Jackson coached in a different era, where puffing in a NBA arena was impossible. In a 1998 interview, he claimed cigars relaxed him in the same way meditation did. "I owe it all to meditation and to cigars," he said. Jackson cut his NBA coaching teeth with the Chicago Bulls, owned by ardent cigar lover Jerry Reinsdorf, who gave cigars to his star Michael Jordan.

NBA Basketball Fantastic!!!!!!

Just like the motto of the NBA back in the day I'm reminded of how simple a game basketball is. I grew up in an era where people regarded that time as the Golden age of basketball. Magic, Bird and Jordan where the names that everyone knew and we were all glued to our TV sets to watch. Now today was we watch a faster more athletic NBA we call upon the spirits of NBA past to help guide the sport back into the homes of those from the not so distant past.

As we bear witness to the coming of Lebron James the maturing of Dwight Howard or the cementing of a legacy in Kobe Bryant we can hope that the future of NBA basketball is strong and on a good footing. I watched Game 3 of the NBA finals at a great location with good friends and fabulous food. The Magic accomplished a team first by winning a NBA finals game and by doing so they trail the series 2 -1 with game 4 on Thursday June 11, 2009. The game was good for the Magic as they played one of their best overall team games in shooting over 60% from the field. As the Magic played an unbelievable game they only managed to win the game by 5 points and the game was very tight throughout the entire contest. To gain another victory in my opinion with another near flawless night is unlikely considering the level of competition. My previous post I alluded to some great home cooking and good rest to gain a victory and I'm glad they did just that. Now that the food has settled and jitters of playing at home has settled hopefully they can hold serve on their home court and send the series to game 5. 

As much as I have learned to appreciate the NBA again I hope this series can be the defining point were the NBA is able to get its appeal back into the mainstream as it has done in years past with Magic, Bird and Jordan....Whose to say that Lebron, Dwight and Kobe could be the ones to accomplish it for them. "NBA Basketball its Fantastic"

NBA Finals 2009!!!!!!

So as I write this post the Lakers are up 2 games to zero over the Orlando Magic. The first 2 games were played in Los Angeles the home of the Lakers. The first game was a total team victory as the Lakers pounded the Magic who pretty much sleepwalked through the entire contest. As game 2 rolled around people began to question if Orlando had what it took to run with the Lakers. I reflect back to the series with the Cleveland Cavaliers and how the Magic had numerous answers, so I knew they had the fire power to win but will they be able to put it all together. 

So game 2 was a defensive struggle for most of the game with Rashard Lewis being the offensive juggernaut. At one time during the 2nd quarter Lewis had scored 18 of the Magics 20 points...can we say coming out party!!!! I knew of Rashard Lewis when he played in the Northwest with the then Seattle SuperSonics. Rashard Lewis came up the hard way in the straight from High School era of young players. The greatest benefit for Lewis was developing his game in the no-pressure atmosphere of Seattle. He was able to hone his craft from one of the best clutch 3point shooters in the Boston Celtics Ray Allen. In his 10 plus season campaigns in the NBA the limelight he is in is well deserved and I would imagine quite gratifying. So as the Orlando Magic stare down the barrel of an 3-0 deficit hopefully they are taking in the home cooked meal and night with family to get their bearings and basketball in order. One thing is certain the Lakers have come to play and hopefully the Magic is up to the task of pulling out a victory in game 3.