Press-Enterprise: Hard to knock Fisher now

Mamba · Jun 13, 2009

ORLANDO, FLA. - Nobody likes to bad-mouth Derek Fisher, especially Lakers fans.

Too many triumphant moments with the Lakers. Too nice of guy.

No, they don't like to. But they do anyway, kind of quietly. It goes something like this:

"I love Fish -- remember the 0.4 shot? -- but he's too slow. Can't keep up. His shot's gone."

Even in this soon-to-culminate championship season, in which the Lakers dominated the Western Conference in the regular season, every shortcoming and every loss -- especially in the postseason -- goes down the gullets of the faithful like a cup of dried beetles on a TV reality show.

When the defense falters, it's always about allowing "dribble penetration," most often a quick opposing point guard, marked by you-know-who.

When the offense falters, well, there are numbers to examine, and Fisher's have not measured up. The cold facts on the stat sheet are that he's shooting a frigid 38.6 percent from the field in the playoffs.

And the man who just drained two of the most memorable three-point shots in Lakers postseason history to lift his team to a dramatic Game 4 overtime victory in the NBA Finals, is the worst long-range shooter on the team this spring.

Still.

Of the nine Lakers who have taken at least one three-point shot in the postseason, Fisher's .273 rate low-balls them all.

In a way, the overflow of talent on this Lakers team has carried the 34-year-old point guard, allowing him to do the "other" things. Things he does best, things that are less obvious than the glaring deficiencies.

Like the double-teaming of Orlando center Dwight Howard, who has been frustrated by the darting help from the perimeter, often Fisher, raking, slapping and stripping at the ball.

Like keeping the offense on an even keel, although not as a traditional ball-handling point man, and often just making sure the ball gets to Kobe Bryant. Fisher played 42 minutes in Thursday's overtime game and had no turnovers.

Like playing enough to remain a team leader, one who delivered a startling "speech" in a huddle in Denver, inspiring a critical road victory in the conference finals. One who cut short the celebration after he was the Finals Game 4 hero to remind everyone that Orlando wasn't dead, yet.

Like finding a way to win a game with his shooting skills, even when they seemed to have vanished. Before hitting those threes with 4.6 seconds left in regulation and 31 seconds left in overtime, Fisher had been 0 for 5 from behind the arc.

"I've heard different versions of it," said Fisher, of the criticism. "Now it's age. Before it was other things, in terms of not being able to shoot or not tall enough.

"I've always used those things as motivation to work even harder and be better."

He said he has always been buoyed by supportive people around him, not the least of which are his teammates.

"They ride with me, good or bad, so I'll just thank them or reward them by continuing to show the confidence I need to show when I'm on the floor."

You can justifiably dissect Fisher's shortcomings, and imagine someone in his place. But he still plays an undeniably unique role on this championship-caliber team. No matter what else happens now, his Game 4 heroics are Lakers lore, his legacy moment coming when he was least appreciated.

Bad-mouth that.
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http://www.pe.com/sports/basketball/breakout/stories/PE_Sports_Local_S_patton_13.49d169f.html

Mamba · Jun 13, 2009

He proved why Jackson trusts him in the crucial moments of a game.

huevonkiller · Jun 13, 2009

Good, let my bad comments fuel you like it did with Ariza.

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Press-Enterprise: Hard to knock Fisher now

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Press-Enterprise: Hard to knock Fisher now

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