The Los Angeles Lakers’ winning streak snapped on Friday, but Derek Fisher refused to let his team embark on a losing skid.
Derek put up a season high 15 points on Saturday night, and the Lakers beat the Houston Rockets, 109-101.
 Fish finished with a season-high 15 points against Houston (Getty Images). |
No. 2 was ruthlessly efficient, hitting 75 percent of shots, his best shooting percentage since November. Included in the 6-8 night was a 3-3 performance from three-point land.
Fish scored five points in the first, on a jumper and a trey. In the second he hit two more threes, on his way to eight points in the quarter. The vet chipped in two assists in the frame, to Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest.
D-Fish finished his night in the third, finding Pau Gasol and then sinking a jumper to get him to fifteen. By that time, the Lakers were up 16, and No. 2 finished the night resting his legs, his work leading the Lakers had been done.
The win over Houston was a nice rebound from a Friday night loss to the surging Oklahoma City Thunder. Fish’s shot wasn’t falling on the evening, and he went 2-6 from the field.
But Fish told TJ Simers of the LA Times that, over time, he’s learned to ignore his personal game and solely focus on how the team is doing. Derek enjoys Laker wins when they come, regardless of how his stat line.
"I’m not having as much fun as I would like to have maybe spreading my wings
[on offense], but team balance is very delicate and so you have to manufacture fun. I’ve learned how to get enjoyment out of one-for-five shooting and a win in San Antonio. I focus on the positive things that happen, and not the other things that don’t."But of course, then he flashes brilliance and bounces back with a night like Saturday when he was one of the best players on the floor.
NICE KICKS, FISH
While Kobe Bryant’s Nike ID kicks have been the talk of the town, D-Fish rocks a pretty sweet pair of sneaks night in and night out too.Fish wears a special Nike Hyperize shoe, which comes in both home and away colors, as Kicks on Fire describes it:
"It’s essentially the same shoe with white or black leather swapped out for home or away games. The mainstay’s of the model are the purple flywire with a yellow heel cap and outsole. They also feature his name D Fish on the tongue. These are not for retail at all but we bet if they did release they would be scooped up fast."
To check out more pictures of Derek’s sick kicks, click here.
NEXT UP
With Sunday off, the Lakers got a brief respite.It’s back on tonight though, when they face the New Orleans Hornets. Fish is averaging 7.5 points over two gams against New Orleans this season.
Three of those points came when Derek hit a beautiful three at the end of the first half in the first of their two earlier meetings, which can be seen here.
Tonight’s game tips off at 5:00 p.m. PST from New Orleans Arena and is being shown on KCAL-TV.
RELATED STORIES
Derek Fisher can handle the criticism (L.A. Times, March 28, 2010)
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/28/sports/la-sp-simers-20100328
Nike Hyperize Derek Fisher’s PEs (Kicks On Fire, March 27, 2010)
http://www.kicksonfire.com/2010/03/27/nike-hyperize-%E2%80%93-derek-fisher-pes-%E2%80%93-la-lakers-home-away/
