It is a tenet of Eastern thinking, which is much admired and often applied by Phil Jackson. The final end of a journey is never certain, goes this belief, so what must be enjoyed is the journey itself.
“That’s right,” the coach said on Thursday, adding it’s “definitely the way” he is approaching the season that begins for him and his Bulls in Boston Friday night.
Then, as often happens with this most electic of men, the source of his philosophy changes, this time to assistant coach Tex Winter.
“Tex always says, `You’re only a success for the moment you’ve completed your last successful act,’ ” Jackson said. “Well, Saturday night will be our last chance to toot our own horn about our championship.”
He was referring to the ring ceremony that will precede the Bulls’ home opener with the 76ers. “That’s the last time we’ll have a chance to replay the ’97 championship. Then we’ll have to go forward. That’s really the mission we have in front of us this year.”
It’s a mission the Bulls face as a tattered, battered and somewhat disheveled group. Scottie Pippen is injured, out until at least Christmas. Dennis Rodman, who missed training camp, is in unknown condition. Randy Brown is hindered by a tender groin, and Steve Kerr is bothered by tendinitis in his knee.
This leaves Jackson uncertain as he starts his last journey with these Bulls, uncertain even about Friday’s starting lineup. Michael Jordan will be in it, of course, and Ron Harper and Jason Caffey instead of Rodman.
“Luc (Longley) most likely at center,” Jackson said, “but I’m still not committed to the fifth. Randy just got back on the floor (Wednesday). Today was a little better; he grew a little bit in his ability to stay on the court. But I still have to step back and see if I start him.”
Asked if he had taken Rodman’s advice about starting Caffey, Jackson smiled.
“No,” Jackson said, “Dennis has taken my advice, and he’s starting on the bench.”
His sense of humor is intact, even if his team is in a bit of distress. And this is not the time for reflection, not even as the dynasty he has ushered to five championships begins its last stand.
“I’m trying to stay away from the drama–just go do it,” Jackson said, and surely there is much for him to do. The joint will be jumping in Boston as the Rick Pitino era begins, and Pitino’s new, young Celtics will press the Bulls, run at the Bulls, try to challenge them at every turn.
Then, in quick order, come the young 76ers of Larry Brown on Saturday and the imposing San Antonio Spurs of Tim Duncan and David Robinson on Monday, both at home. In all, 16 games in the first 30 days of the season. That would be daunting for the healthiest of teams, which the Bulls most assuredly are not.
“We’re not in great condition,” Jackson said. “We’re not a well-conditioned team right now.”
Which means?
“We’ll start real slow. But we’re not getting all upset about it. We’ll take it in stride.”
In other words, the long-term situation is more promising than bleak, a theme Jackson underscored in a State of the Bulls address.
“We’d like to get off to a good start, but the chances are not good for us to be front-runners right off the bat. Until Scottie gets back out here, we’ll just go about our business and do the best we can,” he said.
“I’d like to say we’re on the positive side of wellness, but we’re a little bit below that. We’re just above feeling pain as a basketball club. We’re not quite sick, but we’re right at that threshold.”
Despite their advancing age, the Bulls figure to be a better team around January than they are in November, barring further injury.
“I think we’ll be OK,” Jackson said. “But at the start of the season I’m not really pleased. I see a lot of people picking us (to win the title), and if I were a betting man, I wouldn’t do that. We have a great opportunity, but right now this is a tough year for us. We’re starting out slow. We’re a little bit older. Some of the guys seem to be getting hurt quicker, and we’ve got to pick up some ground real quickly in the next two weeks to carry our stance, as I like to call it. Our attitude. To be able to walk on the court and feel we can beat anybody.”
Around the league, a word frequently used to describe the Bulls is “vulnerable.” But there’s still that championship aura.
“We like to win. There’s no doubt about that–we’re very competitive,” Jackson said. “But we also know the long run is 82 games away. We know when the playoffs start, that’s when it really counts. You want to position yourself these first 82 games, and how we do that is really important. Try not to put the accelerator to the floor.
“Trying to conserve some gas this year is really the key for us.”
