Fresh off a shocking loss, D-Fish and co. will have the opportunity to put the pedal back to the metal in the chase for the best record in the NBA tonight.
They host Derek’s former team, the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center.
D-Fish played two seasons for Golden State, including a career year in 2005-2006, his final season there. With the 05-06 Warriors, Derek scored 1,089 points, the first and only time he’s broken the century mark. He averaged 13.3 points per game and dished out career highs in assists (352) and steals (125).
YOU’VE GOT GOLD
With a victory, LA could sweep the season series from their inter-state rivals. The Lakers are 13-2 in their last 15 games with the Warriors, dating back to Derek’s final year with Golden State.
No. 2 has been as good as gold this season against the Warriors. In the three wins, D-Fish has averaged 13.3 points per game, tallied a total of 16 assists and picked up seven total steals. The Lakers have won each contest by at least eight points and have scored at least 114 points in all three wins.
The Lakers and Warriors tip-off tonight at 7:30 PST and all the action can be seen live, across the country on TNT.
HOME COURT MENTALITY
After the Lakers finish off their homestand tonight, they’ll get a good long road trip to motivate them toward achieving home court.
The next seven games will take the team away from the Staples Center, so it’s a sure bet they’ll be working hard to ensure some home cookin’ come playoff time.
Derek reiterated recently that home court throughout has always been the goal, as quoted in USA Today:
“We said that when training camp started — before we even touched a basketball,” guard Derek Fisher said of coach Phil Jackson’s goal to host key playoff games at Staples Center, where the Lakers are 30-5.”
FISH-Y PICKS
At Lakers.com, the webmasters have assembled a collection of NCAA Tournament brackets from the Lakers players and posted them for side-by-side comparison.
D-Fish’s pick to win it all is North Carolina, which intrigues because the Tar-Heels are concerned with the status of their own point guard, Ty Lawson.
No. 2 picked, UNC as well as UCONN, defending national champion Kansas and Pittsburgh to reach the Final Four. His biggest upset shows Wake Forest taking down overall # 1 seed Louisville in the Sweet 16.
To see Derek’s complete bracket, click here.
So far, as of 5:23 PST, No. 2 hasn’t missed a pick.
RELATED STORIES
Up next for Lakers: Golden State Warriors (LA Times, March 19, 2009)
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-tonight19-2009mar19,0,1890248.story?track=rss
Lakers have lost their edge (LA Times, March 19, 2009)
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers19-2009mar19,0,3570143.story?page=1&track=rss
Road Trip opens Lakers’ final push for home-court (USA Today, March 19, 2009)
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/2009-03-18-Lakers_N.htm
Derek’s bracket (Lakers.com, March 19, 2009)
http://www.nba.com/media/lakers/09bracket_derekfisher_pre1.jpg
