The time to celebrate is over.
The 2010 NBA season kicks off tonight, and it’s time for Derek Fisher and the Lakers to defend their reign as back-to-back champions.
Defending the title is a task Fish says he’s up for and he’s even more motivated to keep this Lakers run going. No. 2 has already finished on top of the NBA heap five times, but a sixth title is all that’s on his mind.
"It’s about sustaining excellence. It’s about being a champion as many times as you can," he told HoopsHype.com. "We have the chance as a team to be champions this year. There won’t be anything in regards to NBA basketball that will take precedent over winning another title this season. That’s just how bad I want it, and I think everybody on our team feels the same way."
The road to a title for LA like this year is expected to be just as arduous, if not more so in an ever improving Western Conference.
"Oklahoma City is one of those teams that will be back, but if we play the game the right way, it doesn’t really matter who else is good or talented or athletic," D-Fish said. "At the same time, there will be teams like Oklahoma City, Portland, Dallas, Denver (depending on what happens with Carmelo) that will be very good. It’s gonna be just as challenging or more of a challenging season that we had in the last couple of years."
Fish said it’s the Lakers high basketball IQ that will help them along the way.
"Since it’s basketball, I think we can figure out ways to be effective against any team."
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After a challenging preseason, Derek is ready to go for six (AP).
MIAMI WAS JUST MAYBE
In the offseason, after the Lakers’ second straight title, D-Fish met with Heat President Pat Riley about leaving LA and manning the point for the superstar triumvirate down in South Beach.
But while Fish considered it, he said there was no way he could say no to his teammates and the city of Los Angeles.
"Saying ‘No’ to Miami and other teams was really not as much about saying ‘No’ to them as much as was saying ‘Yes’ to my teammates and my relation with Kobe Bryant, saying yes to the city of Los Angeles and the fans."
Since returning to the Lakers three years ago, Derek has gone to the NBA Finals every year, and Fish felt he couldn’t leave something so good, something that he had a hand in building, behind.
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[I said] ‘Yes’ to what we’ve built there, recognizing we have a team that can win the championship again this year, and hopefully more championships to come. So I didn’t really view it as a ‘No’ to other teams, it was more a resounding ‘Yes’ to Los Angeles.And by returning, D-Fish has the opportunity to do something only NBA legend Michael Jordan and a handful of others have accomplished. Complete two separate three-peats.
BUSINESS BREWING
While Derek has got a tough task ahead of him, he also has pressures that no one else in the league faces.As president of the NBA’s Player Association, Fish is acutely aware that the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement will expire after this season. He’d prefer not to worry about it until later, but the discussion was brought to the forefront when NBA Commissioner David Stern spoke openly about possible contraction.
Fish said the Players’ Association prefers to handle its business in a more private matter.
"Details of where things stand and what exactly respective sides were looking for, we were going to keep in the room and behind closed doors," Fish told ESPN Los Angeles. "We don’t plan to negotiate through media, through public forums. We’ll continue to negotiate behind closed doors and continue to focus on resolution. There’s really no need at any point to just throw out something that is not based in [the question], ‘Is this something that is going to help us get a deal done?’"
No. 2 was willing to admit that to get the league in a more solvent situation, everyone would need to look at every possible proposal.
"[It’s] fair to say that contraction would be on the table," but Derek said his role, as president puts him squarely against that idea.
"We have a responsibility to protect as many jobs as we can."
Primarily, No. 2 wants the issue resolved.
"Myself and my players — we’re steadfast and focused on finding resolutions and continuing to create and come up with ways that we can actually get a deal done."
But Derek said that, no matter the circumstances, his primary focus is on playing basketball for the Lakers.
"It won’t take my focus away from playing. I’m a very focused and disciplined individual. I’m committed to my team, but I’m also committed to the players as a whole, and I feel confident that I’ll be up to the balance them and still be able to play well on the court."
NEXT UP
Derek will get his first chance to play well on the court Tuesday night as he and the Lakers take on the Houston Rockets in the season opener. The Lakers went 3-1 against the Rockets last year, and No. 2 scored his season high in points, 15, in a 109-101 March win.It’s also Ring Night at Staples for the Lakers as they receive their NBA Championship jewelry. To watch Fish. his teammates and coaches talk about the significance of that ceremony, click here.
The game tips off at the Staples Center at 7:30 p.m. PST, but TNT plans to air the Ring Night festivities beginning at 7 p.m. PST.
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Derek Fisher: I’m hungrier than ever to win a ring (Hoops Hype, October 19, 2010)
Derek Fisher reacts to contraction talk (ESPN.com, October 23, 2010)