Phil Jackson has led the way for his team to make excuses and blame everything except their own failures for the loss. After game 2, Phil blamed the loss on the refs. Yes, there was a big free throw discrepancy, but it was because the Celtics were aggressive and took the ball to the hoop and his team did not. His example led the way for his players to blame the refs and everything else for their own failures. After game 3, there was also a large free throw differential, but to the Lakers' benefit. Doc, unlike Jackson, refused to make excuses and blame the refs. Instead, he put the blame where it belonged, on his team's lack of aggression.
After game 4. Sasha picked up where his coach left off and took it to another level. Here is what he said when asked about his failure to guard Ray Allen on his drive to the hoop for the layup that sealed the Celtics victory.
"The whole game, from the minute I came in, they called fouls on me. He fell down, foul. I was trying to find a way to guard him for 48 minutes, and everything I did was a foul. He got me. He went to the basket, and it was a good basket. I don't know what else to say,"
Let's think about this statement for a few minutes. He played 23 minutes and at the end of the game, he had 3 fouls. Doesn't seem to me as though everything he did was a foul. I watched several sequences where Vujacic slapped at and grabbed Ray Allen and got away with it. And, the part where he says Ray fell down and got a foul, that is where Sasha pulled him down after a rebound and then tried to grab his leg with a scissor move which could easily have injured him. The picture above clearly shows Sasha using a scissor move with his legs to try to trip Ray and the ref is standing there looking on. Ray got the 2 free throws, but a technical should have been called as a move like that could easily injure a player. The photo above shows it clearly.
And I leave you with a look at Sasha Vujacic on the bench showing his team spirit and fostering team chemistry. Poor guy, maybe if he didn't try to blame his failures on everyone but himself, he wouldn't be so frustrated.
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