Phil Jackson did not just stumble upon 11 rings as a coach. The Zen Master has plenty of tricks up his sleeve, from drawing up a play in the clutch to knowing how to light up a fire under his team.
Nothing exemplified Phil’s genius in this regard more than the 2000 Western Conference Finals. The Los Angeles Lakerswere down by double-digits in the fourth quarter of Game 7, and needed a minor miracle to recover. Jackson made it happen by employing a little reverse psychology.
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Phil told his boys to pack their bags
The Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers were neck and neck in the first 30 minutes of the game until Steve Smith and Rasheed Wallace caught fire. Smith and Wallace combined for 18 of the Blazers’ last 25 points of the third, turning a 48-49 deficit into a 71-58 lead going into the final period.
Suddenly, it looked like the Purple & Gold wilted in the face of pressure again. Shaquille O’Neal only had nine points until that point, and the Blazers’ physical defense prevented him from even scoring at all in the third quarter. L.A. looked overmatched.
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“(The year 2000) was our first championship, but before that, we always got swept,” the Big Diesel said on NBA TV’s “Open Court.” “When we went to the timeout, Phil Jackson said, ‘This is how you wanna go out? Alright, I’ll see you next summer.’ He kind of relieved the pressure when he said that because he made us change our thought process at the time.”
The panel was discussing pressure moments in their careers, and Shaq admitted he showed nerves, especially when they were down. He was held scoreless in the 3rd, probably because he was overwhelmed. The Big Fella only attempted two shots, never got to the free-throw line, and never accrued any counting stats in the quarter except a turnover.
However, then again, Jackson’s little monologue sparked the team. At that point, it wasn’t about losing anymore; it was about taking a stand. A basketball game’s final result is always up for grabs, but they can always control how they play. L.A. understood the message.
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“Phil did what he did, then we came back, and of course, they choked,” O’Neal quipped.
The Lakers turned the game around with a huge 31-point quarter, while the Blazers only managed 13. Wallace scored seven, but none of his teammates scored more than two.
Meanwhile, O’Neal woke up from his third-quarter slumber, registering nine points, four rebounds, an assist, and a block. Kobe’s alley-oop to Shaq with 41 seconds left essentially sealed the game.
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Related: Ron Harper shares how much Kobe Bryant was obsessed with Michael Jordan: “Every day he talk about MJ”
Phil’s calming presence
O’Neal spoke at length about how Jackson made a difference during these pressure-packed moments. The Lakers considered Phil’s presence a “a safe place,” especially since most of the team lacked championship experience up to that point.
Bryant also appreciated Jackson’s countenance in those situations. Phil was rarely in his players’ faces when push came to shove. Instead, he offered a voice of reason, focusing on how to refine their execution rather than issuing instructions.
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The results spoke for themselves. The Zen Master was not invincible by any means, as he had his share of playoff and Finals losses. However, there was no denying the fact that he knew exactly what to do in different situations.
That moment in the 2000 Western Conference Finals captured what made Jackson different. Instead of tightening the leash when the game was slipping away, he loosened it in a way that only Phil knew how. And just like that, he ignited another dynasty under his leadership.
Related: Mark Madsen reveals how Phil Jackson leveraged Shaq to control the referees in the 2001 NBA Finals: “He got his message through”
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
