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Is Jeanie Buss feuding with brother about Phil?

She's upset after Lakers official's comments criticizing her boyfriend

Image: Jackson, BussGetty Images
Lakers coach Phil Jackson talks with girlfriend Jeanie Buss, who is the daughter of team owner Jerry Buss.

Jeanie Buss is upset that her brother, Jim Buss, criticized her boyfriend, Lakers coach Phil Jackson, on a recent radio show, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.

Jeanie said her brother ripped Jackson for "calling out players in the media," the Times reported.

"I thought that was interesting because that's what he was doing to Phil," Jeanie said on KLAC 570 in Los Angeles, the newspaper reported.

Jeanie stressed that she's not mad at Jim. "I just don't understand it," she said, the newspaper reported.

Jim Buss, who is gradually taking over the basketball operations of the Lakers while Jeanie handles the business side, had commented on Jackson on the same radio station last week, the Times reported.

Because Jim Buss is taking over basketball as his father, Lakers owner Jerry Buss, curtails his own involvement, that makes Jim the boss of Jackson, Jeanie said.

"I'm the one who throws the monkey wrench into things by the fact I'm dating the coach," Jeanie said, the newspaper reported. "I'm the one who muddies the waters and complicates things.

"And maybe I take things too personally."

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Jeanie said she had not spoken with her brother about the comments, but she said she was "very protective of Phil," the newspaper reported.

"I know how hard he works, and I know how dedicated he is to this team and the Buss family," she said, the Times reported. "The most important thing is that we are all on the same page, we all want the same thing — to put a winning team on the floor."

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