If there’s anyone left who believes that Phil Jackson is chasing his ninth championship ring -- ninth! -- because he had Scottie Pip-The Ol' Bald Guy in his prime and Kobe-Shaq doesn’t understand the monumental task and pressure involved in getting and staying on top.

Although he is not mentioned as a coach-of-the-year candidate and surely won’t get it, this season’s work may be his most masterful. His roster is thinner than any he has ever coached with championship aspirations, incorporating four new players into the triple-post system -- including two, Samaki Walker and Lindsey Hunter, who have been starters for much of the season. Walker follows Phil's power-forward lineage of Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman, A.C. Green and Horace Grant again, meaning the coach is without a championship-honed power forward for the first time ever.

New rules and an arthritic toe have drastically reduced the maneuverability of his most dominating force, the Diesel. His other primary weapon, Kobe, gets MJ/Karl Malone/AI attention from opponents but not from the officials. Devean George, who played sparingly last season, is now part of the rotation.

And yet they’re right in the mix for the NBA’s best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. The Lakers are being cast as underachievers this season by the memory-challenged. Any guess at how many wins the Bulls had in the third season of their first three-peat attempt? 57. These Lakers are sure to eclipse that (they're 53-21 heading into Wednesday night's battle with the East-leading Nets). And they’re not far off the Bulls’ pace in their last three-peat run (62 wins).

Moreover, no one’s playoff lineup is better rested than the Lakers’ coming down the stretch. What other coach would have the guts and foresight to start two guys (Hunter and Walker) for the bulk of the season knowing that in the playoffs he will have to ride his real power-forward/point-guard starters (Robert Horry, Derek Fisher) for everything they’re worth? If I didn’t know better, I’d suggest Phil orchestrated Shaq and Kobe’s two-game suspensions as respites for guys he won’t be able to take off the court much, either.

That said, Phil's personality doesn’t do much for me. As an interviewee he’s far better than most coaches, giving thoughtful answers to any question -- that is, when he deigns to sit down for an interview. He often has an agenda, but at least he’s entertaining and there’s always a grain of truth in whatever he’s putting out there. But espousing the virtues of zen and spirituality and karmic balance while frequently being rude, condescending and manipulative is disingenuous at best.

I think of the dalliance with the owner’s daughter and the sacrificing-me-for-the-we commercial -- which I’ve seen a half-dozen times and couldn’t tell you what it’s selling -- and his calculating tendency to send messages to his players through the media, and I think of Jerry Falwell and Jim Bakker. Hey, they’re all getting over in their own way, but I wouldn’t choose to hang out with them.

But man, can he coach.

Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ric.bucher@espnmag.com.