Derek Fisher scored nine points on 4-9 from the field, including the opening shot of the game and some clutch jumpers, but the Los Angeles Lakers fell, 108-104, to the Orlando Magic in Game 3 of the NBA Finals Tuesday night.
LA could not hold off the white-hot Magic, who shot a Finals record 62.5 percent from the field and the Lakers watched their NBA Finals lead get cut in half. They still lead the best-of-seven series two games to one.
Asked about how well Orlando was shooting the ball in Game 3, Fish gave the following response to the LA Times Lakers Blog:
"Every time you that you think that you can predict what’s going to happen just based on these numbers or percentages and stats, it never goes that way," Fisher said. "Things don’t always happen according to plan, or the way you think they should."
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D-Fish and the Lakers came out of shootaround hot and surged out to an early lead. Derek tallied the first points of the game with a mid-range jumper from just inside the free throw line to break the ice and put LA up 2-0.
The Lakers quickly moved out to an 8-2 lead before Orlando could blink. The Magic surged back to within one, at 10-9, halfway through the period, but Fish showed the hot hand again.
After poking the ball out of the hands of Rashard Lewis on a dribble drive, No. 2 took the ball all the way up court as the Lakers setup for a play.
But D-Fish, seeing a lane to the paint, dribbled inside the arc ahead of Courtney Lee and knocked down a pull up jumper from the top of the key to give LA a 12-9 lead.
Derek burned Lee again in the second quarter, dribbling around the rookie guard and sinking an off balance shot from the baseline.
The Lakers trailed by only five at halftime and Orlando held them at bay for most of the second half, but late in the game LA clawed back to within striking distance.
6:17 remained in the game when Jordan Farmar gave way to Fish to finish the game and it didn’t take long for No. 2 to make his mark on the comeback.
With 5:30 remaining and the Lakers back down by only five, Kobe Bryant used himself as a decoy on a dribble-drive, then passed out to Derek, wide open on the wing for a three point jumper that pulled LA to within two. But despite eventually working to tie the game, LA could never retake the lead and in the end desperation heaves by Fish, Bryant and Ariza missed the mark as Orlando grabbed the victory.
NEXT UP
The Lakers will look to bounce back from the game three defeat to seize control of the series when the teams return to the Amway Arena floor for Game Four of the NBA Finals on Thursday night in Orlando. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. PST and all the action can be seen live on ABC.
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Magic gets back in series when Lakers falter at finish (LA Times, June 10, 2009)
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Lakers at Magic Box Score (NBA.com, June 9, 2009)
http://www.nba.com/games/20090609/LALORL/boxscore.html