As the Sacramento Kings enter Staples Center tonight, they’ll likely stare across the court and remember what Derek Fisher did the last time Sacramento eyed an LA upset.
Back on an early November night in Sacramento, the upset-minded Kings were on the verge of a huge comeback until Derek intervened.
With less than five minutes to go, Fish scored seven points in 55 seconds to extend the Laker lead to 13 in a 112-100 LA win.
The run included two three-point plays. The conventional one, a corner three off a Ron Artest dish made it 102-92.
"I felt like I missed an easy, open 3, so that next one out of the corner I was shooting it before it even touched my hand," Fish told ESPN. "I already knew I was going to shoot it and it was going to go in."
Just 21 seconds later, D-Fish pick-pocketed Carl Landry and went coast-to-coast for the bucket, despite a hard foul that sent him to the line to complete the unconventional three-point play. From there the Lakers cruised to victory.
Derek has given LA a similarly strong effort over his last two games, but the Lakers couldn’t win either, extending their losing streak to four games in the process.
Against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, Fish hit a three in the second and a two in the third, but Los Angeles couldn’t stop a late Rockets push, and as a result, their record dropped to 13-6 on the year. Fish also chipped in an assist to Kobe Bryant.
A night earlier, the Lakers were in Memphis, also looking to get back in the win column. No. 2 scored eight points, but a last-second Ron Artest shot was blocked and Los Angeles lost 98-96. The loss overshadowed a strong all-around night from Derek, who along with his eight points, added two assists, a rebound and a steal.
PRESIDENT’S WORK IS NEVER DONE
Working as president of the Player’s Associations has some drawbacks and one of them was on display recently when a conference call discussing the upcoming expiring Collective Bargaining Agreement went long and Fish was late for a shootaround.
Lateness isn’t generally accepted around the Lakers, but coach Phil Jackson wasn’t about to fine D-Fish for working with the league.
"Derek’s a very conscientious guy, he puts a great effort into what he does. There was a conference call a week ago, around shootaround time, and it got delayed. They had a mess up on the conference call, so he was a half hour late to our shootaround, so I didn’t fine him for being late," Jackson said to reporters with a smile.
Jackson also mentioned how impressed he has been with Derek’s ability to multitask and handle his duties as player and President.
"A lot of times on the plane I sit across the plane from him and he’s looking at stuff and reading agreements and proposals and I know it weighs heavily on him, the responsibility. And I noticed he goes to the other players and gets around to the other players on other teams. He looks like a good politician to me."
NEXT UP
The Sacramento Kings come to Staples tonight as the Lakers look to stop a four-game skid
Tip off is at 7:30 PST and the game is being broadcast on Fox West.
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Phil Jackson gets a kick out of fining players (L.A. Times, Nov. 30, 2010)