Derek Fisher, veteran of four NBA title runs and five NBA Finals, knows just about everything there is to know when it comes to the NBA playoffs.
What he’s especially in tune with is his own body. That’s why it was easy for him to explain his recent resurgence in the NBA’s second season. No. 2 sat down recently for a lengthy interview with ESPN Los Angeles’ Dave McMenamin where, along with touching on his steady play as of late, they broached a number of subjects.
But first, Fish explained his solid shooting, which after 13 playoff games, is hovering right around 50 percent.
"It’s a combination of still feeling good, which is not any different than during the regular season, but, the playoff schedule, things kind of normalize and balance out. There’s less travel, there are less games in a week, you know, those kind of things."
Derek told McMenamin that he enjoys playing the same opponent multiple times in a row, so he can pick up tendencies and see where to attack.
"You’re playing against the same team, you know exactly where your shots are going to come from. You know how things are going to happen. That helps all players.
[Also] If you can get a few more minutes out there, it helps the rhythm to your game."Fish was asked about what he said to the Lakers prior to the playoffs beginning. Some players disclosed that Derek’s choice words were what really jumpstarted the team. Most important, he stressed that this could be their last chance together as a unit.
"I think there were a lot of things that were said that I guess you could put into different categories, but that’s really what it came down to. I think sometimes we say it. We kind of assume that if we win a championship everyone is going to be back and everything is going to be just perfect, but I just gave the example that last year we won it and Trevor [Ariza] is not back and the reality of this business is that there is somebody at this table that won’t be back next year. That’s just how the business works."
He said, with that in mind, Los Angeles really needs to seize the day.
"Let’s not squander this opportunity to do this together with each other because there’s no guarantee that we’ll all be at this table again next year."
Having won 10 of their first 13 playoff games, it would certainly stand to reason that the rest of Lakers are heeding Fish’s message.
To read Dave McMenamin’s entire interview with D-Fish at ESPNLos Angeles, click here.
NEXT UP
A pivotal Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals tips tonight in Phoenix. Fish and the Lakers hold a 2-1 series lead over the Phoenix Suns and can either take a 3-1 lead back to LA for Game 5 or retreat to the Staples Center on Thursday tied a 2. The ball goes up at 6:00 p.m. PST on TNT.RELATED STORIES
Derek Fisher and Lakers, past and present (ESPNLosAngeles.com, May 8, 2010)
http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/columns/story?id=5173427