With the playoffs fast approaching and the Lakers well positioned for their playoff spot, Derek’s minutes have been decreasing, but there’s no need to worry, it’s all part of the Zen Master, Phil Jackson’s game plan.
No. 2 scored three points, all netted on one first quarter three-point bucket, dished out two assists and collected two rebounds in 21 and a half minutes as LA picked up a 122-104 road win on Tuesday night in Sacramento.
After falling behind early, the Lakers broke out in the second quarter with 40 points to take a commanding halftime lead. This allowed Fish to sit the entire fourth quarter as Jackson continues to get his troops ready for the playoffs.
WITHOUT A LIMP
After he suffered a foot injury in Sunday’s victory, there was some concern about Fish’s health for the last few games of the regular season, but No. 2 said the injury was non-existent by the time he woke up Monday, as quoted by the OC Register:
“It’s good,” Fisher said. “It started feeling a whole lot better as the night went on, and prior to going to sleep last night I called (Lakers athletic trainer) Gary Vitti and let him know that I was pretty confident that we didn’t have to do any further investigating or any testing of any kind.”
According to the report, Derek said he believed it was just inflammation, but it did cause him a little concern initially:
“Anything that feels foreign with my feet, I get a little worked up about it,” Fisher said. “So I’m much more on the cautious side than I probably would be if it were some other type of situation. But I feel good and I feel like at the shoot around (today) I’ll be able to test it out much more than I did today.”
KEEPING UP WITH THE CAVALIERS
D-Fish continues to keep his eyes on the standings as the Lakers inch closer to Cleveland for the league’s best record. Reason being, No. 2 knows how tough the Cavs are at home, as quoted by the LA Times:
“They’re the most dominant home team in all of basketball, so if you can take away one or two less games from them, you’d have an argument that things would be in your favor,” he said.
The Lakers seem to have an easier rout to the best record, with only one road game left (in Portland), though they do play Denver and Utah at Staples.
Cleveland, on the other hand has five games left including a showdown with the Celtics and two games with the 76ers, who proved against the Lakers that you can’t sleep in Philly.
Derek is comfortable with the current standing, as long as the Lakers finish strong:
“If we take care of our business similar to last year . . . I think it’ll kind of take care of itself,” Fisher said.
NEXT UP
The Lakers return home today to prepare for a Thursday night meeting with the Denver Nuggets. Tip-off is scheduled as for 7:30 PST as the second half of TNT’s Thursday doubleheader.
RELATED STORIES
Lakers at Kings Box Score (NBA.com, April 7, 2009)
http://www.nba.com/games/20090407/LALSAC/boxscore.html
Lakers enjoy a laugher again (LA Daily News, April 8, 2009)
http://www.dailynews.com/ci_12095397?source=rss
A disgruntled Phil Jackson holds his tongue (LA Times, April 8, 2009)
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-fyi7-2009apr07,0,7987522.story?track=rss
Fisher says pain in left foot is dissipated (OC Register, April 7, 2009)
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bynum-fisher-lakers-2356380-grizzlies-jackson