An Early Western Showdown

Derek Fisher and the Lakers clash with the first-place Phoenix Suns tonight at Staples Center. It’s the first of four games between the two Pacific Division powerhouses this season, and it promises to be a good one.

Last season, Derek and his Lakers teammates got the best of the Suns, winning the season series, 3-1.

D-Fish played solidly in each win, averaging eight points a game. The vet also averaged 1.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the series.

The season before, the Lakers also won the series 3-1. D-Fish scorched Phoenix that season, to the tune of 14.4 points per game in the Lakers’ three wins.

BALL CONTROL
In the Lakers’ three wins over Phoenix in 2008-09, Fish didn’t turn the ball over once. In their lone loss, he had two turnovers. In the wins, his assist-to-turnover ratio was an excellent 9.0.

The trend was exactly the same in 07-08. In the Lakers three wins, D-Fish had zero turnovers, while chipping in nine assists. In their lone loss, he had three.

PACIFIC POWERHOUSES
The Lakers and Fish know the importance of divisional games. Last season the Suns only finished two games behind LA. And in the past six seasons, either the Lakers or Suns have finished first in the Pacific Division.

In the three most recent seasons, whoever didn’t finish first was right behind, in second.

Since the Sacramento Kings won the Pacific in 2002-03, the Lakers and Suns have both each won the division three times.

NEXT UP
Fish and the Lakers face the Phoenix Suns tonight at 7:30 PST at the Staples Center. The game can be seen on TNT.

RELATED ARTICLES
Lakers will get a couple of early test in Phoenix and Denver (L.A. Times, Nov. 12, 2009)
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lakers12-2009nov12,0,1120856.story
The Suns is a Phoenix (Forum Blue and Gold, Nov. 12, 2009)
http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/11/12/the-suns-is-a-phoenix/
Lakers’ next two games ‘a good measure’ of progress (Los Angeles Daily News, Nov. 12, 2009)
http://www.dailynews.com/ci_13768541?source=rss
It Was a Good Old-Fashioned Beat-Down, and (Damn!) it Was the Suns Doin’ the Beatin’. Next Up: the Lakers Tonight (Phoenix New Times Nov. 12, 2009)
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2009/11/it_was_a_good_old-fashioned_be.php