Phil cracks on Rudy T

HOUSTON — Phil Jackson offered his congratulations to former Houston Rockets and (briefly) Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich, who was nominated for enshrinement into the Hall of Fame. “Wonderful,” Jackson said, smiling wryly to indicate he wasn’t entirely enthusiastic in his support. Jackson went on to agree with a local reporter that the Rockets’ championships in 1994 and ’95 should come with an footnote since Michael Jordan was on hiatus with the Jackson-coached Bulls at the time. Jackson said had Jordan been playing basketball instead of toiling in the minor leagues with the Chicago White Sox, the Bulls rather than the Rockets would have been champions. The Bulls won three in a row with Jordan, the Rockets won the next two, and then the Bulls won three more.