Thirty games remain in the 2008-2009 season and if the Lakers continue to play the way they have been, they’ll be in prime position heading into the playoffs.
The same can be said for Derek, who is on pace to set several personal single-season marks as he navigates the point for LA.
Here’s Derek by the numbers:
.416 Derek’s three point shooting percentage this season, a career high.
42 the amount of wins for the team with the best record in the NBA, the Lakers.
52 starts for D-Fish this season in every game LA has played.
70 steals Derek has accumulated this season, 18th most in the NBA.
191 assists dished out by Derek through the first 52 games, putting him on pace to top 300 for the fourth time in his career.
301 consecutive regular season games played by D-Fish, dating back to the end of 2004-2005, his first season in Golden State.
1,643 minutes played By No. 2 in 2008-2009, third most on the team behind Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.
D-FISH TALKS LAKERS
Entering the All-Star break, the Lakers have set the standard for teams to follow. But No. 2 knows it’s all a work in progress until you’re hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy in June, as quoted by the Salt Lake Tribune:
“We’re getting there,” Fisher said. “We’re moving in the right direction, as far as being world champions.
“We’re making progress,” Fisher said. “Like anything else when you are trying to climb to the top, you stumble once in awhile. But the difference in people who become champions is their ability to get back up and keep climbing—keep moving forward—and we’re learning how to do that.”
REPORT CARD
At the LA Times, blogger Andrew Kamenetzky breaks down the Lakers with his grades at the break, Derek earned relatively high marks:
“He’s just steady. You can count on Fish’s strengths (leadership, accountability, proclivity for canning big shots), his weaknesses (finishing around the rim, sometimes a little shot happy), and the inevitable shooting streaks. And for all the evidence of age catching up (staying with speedier guards), he held up playing big minutes while Farmar was under the knife. He may not be the ideal starting point guard, but as he proved to my doubting self last season, this team can do a hell of a lot worse.”
RELATED STORIES
Laker’s midseason grades (LA Times Lakers Blog, February 13, 2009)
http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2009/02/lakers-mid-seas.html#more
It’s time for Lakers to rest and refocus (LA Times, February 13, 2009)
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-fyi13-2009feb13,0,7297513.story?track=rss
Lakers cruising at All-Star Break (Salt Lake Tribune, February 14, 2009)
http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_11706598