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Mavs eliminate Lakers, sweep Jackson to retirement

Published:Monday | May 9, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant and coach Phil Jackson talk during a break against the Dallas Mavericks at the first half of Game Four of a second-round NBA play-off basketball series yesterday in Dallas. - AP

DALLAS (AP):

Phil Jackson walked off the court with a tight smile, shaking hands and accepting congratulations like he has after so many series-ending play-off games.

Never like this, though.

His team didn't win; they were crushed. Swept, too.

And he wasn't just heading to the off season - he's calling it a career, ending the most successful run by any coach in NBA history.

Jason Terry and the Dallas Mavericks ended Jackson's tenure, and the Lakers' reign as two-time champions, with a 122-86 victory yesterday. After two tight finishes and another game that was relatively close, the Mavs turned this one into a rout in the second quarter.

With Terry leading the way, Dallas hit a barrage of three-pointers to go ahead by 24 points at half-time. When he made threes on consecutive possessions early in the third quarter, Los Angeles knew they weren't going to come back in this game or the series.

vicious, cheap shots

Things got ugly early in the fourth quarter, with vicious, frustration-fuelled cheap shots by Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum getting them ejected 45 seconds apart. But at game's end, Dallas coaches, players and team owner Mark Cuban lined up to bid farewell to the Zen Master.

"It's been a wonderful run," Jackson said.

The 65-year-old Jackson has retired before, but he insists it's for good this time. While he goes out with the sour taste of his first sweep in 21 post-seasons and his second-widest margin of defeat, it can't override all the sweet days.

A Hall of Famer since 2007, he leaves with a record 11 titles and only 10 series losses. Take away Red Auerbach, who won nine championships, and Jackson won more titles than any two coaches combined. He won six championships with Michael Jordan, three with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal and the last two with Bryant leading the way.

He had to be talked into coming back this year. The lure of chasing a 12th title, bundled neatly as four three-peats, did it, but he knew it would be tough with a team worn down by three straight years of reaching the finals.