What did Dennis Scott ever do to Kenny Atkinson?
We have more questions than answers after Atkinson spoke on the matter.
“It’s just a defensive coverage we have,” Atkinson said. “We’ve had trouble communicating it to guys in the past. So, we came up with this idea where everybody knows. Sometimes, if you have a little humor in things, it sinks in with the guys.”
The thick paper Atkinson waved around while James Harden dribbled up the court late in the fourth quarter had a photo of Dennis Scott printed on it. Scott spent 10 years in the NBA and led the league in 3-pointers made in the 1995-96 season while playing for the Orlando Magic. On Atkinson’s poster, which was made by the video coordinators, Scott’s image had a slash through it.
The message: guard the 3-point line.
There was an ancient emblem that was welded by assistant coach Jacque Vaughn — whom the team calls “JV.” Vaughn had labored over making sure each line was correct and every marking was in the correct place. Sparks were flying. Blood was shed. Tears were wept. Sweat dripped from Vaughn’s forehead as he created the plaque.
“At first, when he told us about this thing I was like, ‘Damn, what’s going on?'” Jordan said, laughing. “Then he showed us the sign, and I was like, ‘Come on, bro.’ I don’t even know if JV had anything to do with the sign at all.”
Flip the page for the video of the sign and Atkinson explaining it.