Jackson working hard in the offseason

[GoBobs]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5349285

Nice to see. I could start liking the guy if he would just quit barking at the damn refs.

[spectre]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5349285

Nice to see. I could start liking the guy if he would just quit barking at the damn refs.

No doubt. It'd have been soooooooo easy for Jax to just blow off LB's comments about his weight, but instead he's taken it and resolved to get better.

[Plowright]

i cant believe some people still dont like jax.... He wears his heart on his sleeve adn cares too much sometimes thats why he gets Techinicals! Yes he takes ill advised and bad shots, but every team needs a guy to do that, wouldnt you rather have jax doing that than anyone else on our team. Plus he took us to the play offs last year, lets face it if it wasnt for him we would prob have lost out to bulls and raptors for 8th spot. Jax has been our bext trade and done so much for us and noe he is working early and hard, Guy is a LEGEND in my eyes.

[ajbry]

I'll put this is perspective, in terms of the offseason effort:

Throughout his NBA career, his offseason basketball regimen has basically consisted of pickup games and nothing more. For him to be involved with the team this early in the offseason is literally something he's never done before. It's awesome.

And I'm very glad he was forthright about his Game 4 performance. From the jump ball I could tell he was mailing it in and that struck me as odd. And ridiculous.

He seems resolved to make this a season where people have no choice but to give him the credit he's been seeking for a long time.

[ND22]

Its hard to root against the guy. Its obvious he wants to do great things with this team and cares about the guys around him. I'm very glad he's here.

[rsxnova]

This is what i expect from one of the premier SG in the East.

[teej]

Jack with this team through a full training camp could be great. Especially if TT is still around.

[ajbry]

Bonnell adds some new quotes with his piece:


ORLANDO, Fla. – All Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown wants from Stephen Jackson is a triple-double….every game.

Rather than be rattled by that expectation – no NBA player has averaged a triple-double for the season since Oscar Robertson in the early ’60s – Jackson was inspired. That’s one reason he’s in Orlando this week, working out with the Bobcats’ summer-league team.


The other reason: A recurring nightmare. Jackson has dreamed three times he’s back in Game Four of the Orlando Magic’s sweep of the Bobcats.


“I’m having a (lousy) game, just like in real life. I wasn’t being aggressive, just like that last game,’’ Jackson said, linking his nightmare to the 2-of-11 shooting in that season-ending loss.


“It’s sad to say that I wasn’t focused the (deciding) game of a playoff series. That’s been kind of hard on me.’’ So he set out to make amends. He started training three weeks ago – earlier than in any of his previous 10 NBA off-seasons – with a goal of playing at 225 pounds, 15 below last season.


Brown asked him to do two things – lose weight and be more vested in teammates’ success. Brown still wants Jackson to be the alpha male, but also to distribute the ball.

“L.B. wants me to average a triple-double. For a coach to expect that from me, to really believe it’s doable, that’s a big compliment from a Hall of Fame coach,’’ Jackson said.


“A lot of times I come out for games so aggressive from the jump (ball), and then at the end of the game, I’m going but my teammates haven’t really been into the game so it’s hard for them to make the big shot.’’


It’s rare for a veteran of Jackson’s stature to show up for summer-league practices, rarer still he’d travel to another city to participate. Jackson said he’s trying to make sure the momentum the franchise gained from reaching the playoffs doesn’t dissipate.


“I don’t think it’s anybody’s goal just to make the first round (again). We need to make steps every year,’’ Jackson said. “I know how important this…is to (Michael) Jordan and the organization and the city.’’


He’s not oblivious to the obstacles. It’s questionable whether the Bobcats can afford to re-sign starting point guard Raymond Felton while staying below the luxury-tax threshold. Jackson said he’d miss playing with Felton, a close friend, but endorsed D.J. Augustin should Augustin end up starting.


“If it is D.J., he’ll be prepared,’’ Jackson said. “Obviously there will be times when Boris (Diaw) and me would have to bring it up, but I don’t think that will be too much of an adjustment because D.J. is a great ballhandler.’



http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/07/02/1540132/jackson-works-hard-to-shed-pounds.html

[rsxnova]

Sometime all it takes is a little encouragement. Statements like that could help DJ more than anything.

[ND22]

That's what you gotta do. Support and endorse your teammates. Great stuff Jackson.

[WAM9]

I already love Captain Jack but things like this will only raise my opinion of him ten fold. I have always believed that you need 3 main pieces to be really successful in the playoffs...

I truly believe that Wallace and Jackson are two of those 3 pieces we need.

If we could only find a dominant big without giving up either of these guys, I think we could really make some noise in the playoffs.

[Bobcat Matt]

I love reading all this about Jack...however, I wish the one thing he would work on is the complaining to the refs. He complains after every single missed shot. Just let it go and run down the court. When have you ever seen a ref stop the play and give someone a foul because they yelled "I got fouled." I just don't see how in 10 years in the league he hasn't figured that out yet.

Otherwise, he's a very solid player. I think he is on a bargain contract too, as I think Joe Johnson is a SLIGHTLY more efficient Jack. He got $115 mil. It doesn't make any sense. Joe has about 1/2 the passion Jack has as well.