As the rest of the Western Conference battles underneath them, D-Fish and the Lakers relish the chance to edge even closer to that all-important top-seed, guaranteeing home court advantage through the Western Conference Finals.
The next step comes tonight when the Lakers play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Lakers have defeated the T-Wolves in all three of their previous meetings this season. Derek is averaging just 8.3 points per game against Minnesota, but has 13 assists in the three victories.
Over at the LA Times, Mike Brenashan pens a brief preview of the contest:
“Minnesota has lost seven consecutive games, including a 111-108 loss to the Lakers almost two weeks ago. Coach Phil Jackson called the Lakers’ defense “pathetic.” With a victory tonight, the Lakers sweep the season series against Minnesota for the second year in a row.”
The Lakers and Timberwolves hook-up at 7:30 p.m. PST and all the action can be seen live is Los Angeles on FSN. Radio broadcast can be heard on KLAC 570 AM.
NEED SOME D
For the Lakers, tonight’s focus may revolve around playing better defensive basketball.
LA has allowed more than 100 points in five of their last eight games. And even though, four of those five games were wins, Derek knows it can’t always be that way, as quoted in the Orange County Register:
“Defensively, we need to be able to close out a shot (by securing a rebound),” Fish said. “And we can not be giving teams anything easy.”
Defensive rebounding has been a particular area of concern for the Lakers, who feel they’re allowing too many second chance points in Andrew Bynum’s absence, as D-Fish told the LA Times:
“Without Andrew his size and his presence defensively, as well as defensive rebounding and even some offensive rebounding, I think those are things that could be
[weaknesses] if Lamar is not having one of those monster 20-rebound games. We still have some holes in that regard.”When pressed about how a 49-12 team can sound so dissatisfied, Derek noted the importance of wanting to get better:
“We’re playing well enough right now, I guess. We don’t expect to be perfect. It doesn’t hurt to try to get there. We’re obviously going to work hard and try to improve and get better. But there are still weaknesses we have that we want to shore up as the season winds down and we get into the postseason.”
EVERYWHERE BUT THE PAINT
A recent study by LA Times Lakers bloggers Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky takes a look at a plethora of information from this season’s Lakers shot charts to get an idea of each player’s range.The study reveals that D-Fish is at his best shooting everywhere but in the lane:
“Derek Fisher is the rare player who is far less efficient close to the basket…but can score effectively from virtually everywhere else on the floor, with nine “zones” in which he shoots 45% or better.”
IF FISH WERE A RAPPER
At his blog, Passion of the Weiss, a music/pop culture commentary, LA journalist Jeff Weiss takes a look at who each Lakers player would be if they were a rapper.While Kobe Bryant gets the well-known Kanye West, Weiss goes a little more to find Fish’s rap doppleganger:
“Derek Fisher=Lord Finesse
Ultra-steady vets with little name-recognition, but who understand their role and how to maximize their impact. Neither are flashy, but due to hard work and hustle, both often compromise the backbone of winning squads. Loved by coaches/heads for their ability to “Keep it Flowing.”If you’re not familiar with Lord Finesse, his biggest star turn came in the song “The Rockafeller Skank” by Fatboy Slim. Finesse is responsible for the chorus: “Right about now, the funk soul brother. Check it out now, the funk soul brother.”
RELATED STORIES
Lakers not scared of upcoming road trend (LA Times, March 6, 2009)
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakersfyi6-2009mar06,0,5240796.story?track=rss
Lakers play host to Timberwolves tonight (LA Times, March 6, 2009)
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakerstonight6-2009mar06,0,300227.story?track=rss
Shot chart fever (LA Times Lakers Blog, March 6, 2009)
http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2009/03/shot-chart-feve.html
Lakers back to work after day off (LA Daily News, March 6, 2009)
http://www.dailynews.com/ci_11849295?source=rss
Who cares about Boston? Cleveland? Lakers worry about West (OC Register, March 6, 2009)
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/game-lakers-teams-2326746-road-best
If Lakers were rappers: A study in similitude (Passion of the Weiss, March 5, 2009)
http://passionweiss.com/2009/03/05/if-the-lakers-were-rappers-a-study-in-similitude/