Derek Fisher and the Lakers continued along their winning ways with two easy victories over the weekend.
On Friday, the Lakers took on the Minnesota Timberwolves in a rematch of a close call for the Lakers two weeks ago. After that game, a narrow Lakers victory, Fish wanted to see his team raise the level of their play
The Lakers responded to Fish’s motivational tactics, and Los Angeles won handily, 112-95 on Friday night.
No. 2 set the tone for the Lakers with a perfect night from the field. He hit all five of his shots including two three pointers.
Both of No. 2’s treys came in the second quarter, when Los Angeles turned a one-point deficit into a ten-point lead, a margin they wouldn’t relinquish for the entire second half. Fish finished the evening with 12 points, two assists and a rebound.
On Sunday, Derek continued his weekend of stellar shooting, going 4-6 from the field against the Golden State Warriors. D-Fish was perfect from inside the arc and scored eight points in the win
No. 2’s best quarter was again the second. In the frame he scored four points and passed out three assists. Fish’s outburst helped the Lakers head into the half up 28, and the team coasted from there to victory.
To go with his eight points Derek added four assists and three steals.
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times recently took a look at Derek’s efficiency over the first part of the season and how it has helped LA to a 12-2 start.
Fisher enters the Lakers’ (12-2) Tuesday night contest against the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center shooting 47.2% from the field and 58.6% from three-point range, and averaging 1.5 steals per game. To put that into perspective, Fisher’s field-goal and three-point field-goal percentage mark the 14-year veteran’s career highs, and the number of steals represents the highest mark in that category since he was with the Golden State Warriors in the 2005-06 season.
I had argued dating back to last season that Fisher’s value shouldn’t be measured solely by statistics. They shouldn’t apply here either, especially with the Lakers playing only 14 games. Still, there has to be an explanation beyond hot shooting nights and lucky defensive stands that account for the uptick in production.
Different members of the Lakers have varying opinions on Fish’s torrid start, but all can agree on one thing: The Lakers wouldn’t be who they are without the efforts of D-Fish, as Medina writes:
Lakers forward Lamar Odom pointed to Fisher’s preparation. But when doesn’t he put in the work? Lakers Coach Phil Jackson looked at Fisher’s ability to hit a flurry of late-game shots after attempting few field goals through three quarters. But that really only applies this season to the Lakers’ 112-100 victory over Sacramento on Nov. 3, when Fisher scored seven consecutive fourth-quarter points after entering the final period attempting only two field goals.
The reason appears deeper than that.
Part of it can be attributed to motivation now that he has a worthy backup in Steve Blake. But most of it is that the Lakers’ sharp chemistry has enabled Fisher to feel more rhythm in his shots, to get enough rest to feel fresh and to know that his role will remain consistent.
"When I’m out there on the floor in the game, they’re not really many surprises," Fisher said. "I feel like, offensively and defensively, I know what’s coming and I know what to expect. It’s allowing me to operate at a high level, efficiency-wise."
To read Medina’s entire piece, including a post-practice interview with D-Fish, click here.
ALL-STARFISH
D-Fish is on the NBA All-Star ballot, released last week, and you can help one of the league’s most efficient players this year make it to the game, to be played on his home court in LA, by voting him in here.
PASSING FANCY
Derek’s value to the Lakers can never be understated and a game like last Wednesday’s shows exactly why.
No. 2 led the Lakers in plus/minus on the evening, with Los Angeles a whooping 26 points better than the Detroit Pistons when Fish was on the court. The result was the Lakers tenth win of the season, 103-90 in Auburn Hills.
Part of the reason Fish’s plus/minus was so high on the evening was that he led the Lakers in assists with seven, his best passing showcase of the season so far.
Fish began the game subtly, with two points in the first, and an assist to Pau Gasol. But things picked up in the second, when right after coming back in to the game, No. 2 dropped a three pointer, then sandwiched another Pau Gasol assist between two dimes to Kobe Bryant, all in the span of four minutes.
The flurry put Los Angeles up 12, 53-41.
No. 2 started off the second half with another assist to Kobe on the Lakers second possession. He picked up two more assists in the third, with one to Gasol and a fifth to Kobe Bryant, before taking a seat on the bench with a 21-point lead, much of it a result of No. 2’s deft handiwork.
Derek finished the evening with five points and a rebound to go with his seven dimes.
NEXT UP
Derek faces a stiff test in one of the league’s best point guards, Derrick Rose. The Lakers won both their games against the Bulls last year. In one victory, Fish scored 12 points, and in the other, dished out five assists. The game is at the Staples Center at 7:30 p.m. and can be seen on FS West.
RELATED ARTICLES
Kobe Bryant helps Lakers beat struggling Pistons (ESPN.com, Nov. 17, 2010)
Lakers win 4th straight on Pau Gasol’s perfect shooting night (ESPN.com, Nov 21, 2010)
Lakers guard Derek Fisher begins the season with highly efficient play (Los Angeles Times, Nov. 23, 2010)