Picking nits

Lakers coach Phil Jackson was amused (surprise!) when someone asked during his pregame session with reporters if there was too much nit-picking from the media in recent days and nights. After all, the Lakers went into their game Tuesday against the New Jersey Nets with an 11-1 record. They had to be doing something right, right?

Jackson had this to say:

"That's what you guys do. What would you do if you didn't write about those things? You couldn't write everything positive, could you? It wouldn't be any fun. It's give and take. You have opponents. You have people who do things really well against you. You're going to have some give and take in the game. You just hope to come out in the end with a point advantage."

When asked if he was always positive during film sessions with his players, Jackson said:

"There's a certain way to win. I have a certain style I like to see my teams play, so it's something we keep emphasize. I have to (nit-pick), that's what coaching is all about. But punditry? I don't know."

When asked if there was nit-picking going on while he coached the Chicago Bulls to a league-record 72 wins in 1995-96, Jackson said:

"I'm sure there was. Luc Longley couldn't run the court. He wasn't a scoring center. We didn't have a post-up game. Those kinds of things. But you do what you can do with the talent you have. ... You have to keep people interested, right?"