Clutch Fish Wins Another One

//Clutch Fish Wins Another One

Clutch Fish Wins Another One

By | 2016-10-22T05:57:50-08:00 December 9th, 2010|News|Comments Off on Clutch Fish Wins Another One

Derek Fisher’s legacy as one of the NBA’s premier and all-time clutch performers is safe. It has been for a long time.

But Fish, figuring the Lakers could use a thrilling win over their Staples Center co-tenants, padded that resume on Wednesday night.

With less than four seconds left and the Lakers down one against the Los Angeles Clippers, Fish took an inbounds pass near mid court. Derek’s typical move in this instance is to pop a shot. But this one time, the vet, being guarded by rookie Eric Bledsoe, decided to mix it up.

No. 2 drove the left side of the lane past Bledsoe and when no defender came to challenge him, took it to the rack and let it go off his fingertips, just a moment before the buzzer sounded. Two Clippers reached high to try and block it, but couldn’t get enough as the ball kissed off the window and dropped through the hoop.

"I was very fortunate to get it off in the split-second before the light went off," Derek said.

The Los Angeles Times‘ Mark Medina said the decision was a testament to Derek’s basketball smarts.

"As the Lakers huddled together on the sideline with 3.1 seconds remaining, Fisher planned out what he would do should he receive the ball. It wasn’t likely that scenario would play out, considering the first option would go to Kobe Bryant on the perimeter or Pau Gasol inside.

But with each of them heavily marked, Lakers forward Matt Barnes inbounded the ball to Fisher near the top of the key. As soon as Fisher caught the ball, he noticed Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe marked him as if he would shoot from long-range."

Derek gave credit to Barnes for getting him the ball, as quoted by the LA Times:

"Matt

[Barnes] made a judgment call there and trusted that I’d make the right play with the ball — not necessarily shoot it, but at least be able to make the right play from there.

"I obviously quickly just tried to assess the situation once I caught it…. I assumed most guys would play me to stop and shoot, so I just wanted to read it, make a little hesitation, and if I go and I could get head and shoulders by him, just keep going to the cup."

Barnes said he didn’t hesitate:

"I have complete trust in Fish. He’s our veteran leader."

As the horn sounded, Derek stood below the basket, arm raised. He didn’t need to wait for the officials to review what he already knew. Game over. Lakers win, 87-86.

To watch the play, click here.

Bledsoe, just a rookie, had nothing but respect for No. 2, doing what he always does, winning games late.

"It was a tough shot," Bledsoe said. "That’s what he’s there for. He has been doing it for years for them."

And though his rep is to go to his jumper, Wednesday’s play was one Derek knew he could make, as he told the LA Times:

"I’ve been in that situation before. Many of you guys have documented how easily guys get around me at the top of the floor there," he said, smiling. "But when you’re in the middle of the floor and a guy can go left or right regardless of what hand he is, it’s a very tough spot to be in.
 
"I’m not as fast as they come obviously, but I can get around the guy if I have the ball on the top of the floor and the middle like that."

But it wasn’t just that play that led the Lakers to victory, two-thirds of Fish’s points on the evening came in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for the big shot.

"The final sequence didn’t just lead to luck," wrote Medina. "It signified the clutch plays that have defined Fisher’s 14-year-career and it was a sequence Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said knew would work since Fisher also made a jumper to cut the Lakers’ deficit to 78-77 with 6:24 remaining on the first play he entered the lineup."

His coach succinctly surmised the fourth quarter rise in his veteran point:

"I thought Fish was ready to make shots."

LEADING THE LAKERS
In identical situations to the one the Lakers faced last night, the ball has gone to Kobe Bryant on the final play.

In that moment, SB Nation’s Tom Ziller writes, there is only one player in the league that can waive off No. 24 and that’s his best friend, Fish.

"Kobe wanted the ball, and looked exasperated (or worse) when Fisher looked him off and began the drive. That will be forgotten, but it shouldn’t, because it shows again what Fisher means to this team…That may sound fluffy, too fluffy for championship-level basketball. But to me, this is what separates a player with the resumé of Fisher from a so-called winner like Robert Horry.

Big Shot Bob hit, uh, big shots, and got along with everyone. Fisher manages his team, a squad overflowing with egos and feelings and personality. Only one Laker can get away with looking off Kobe in the final seconds, down one, in Staples Center. And that’s Fisher. If he’d missed, Kobe wouldn’t dare say a word about it, either.

That’s Fisher."

SHOT IN THE ARM
After his buzzer-beater led to victory, Fish wasn’t necessarily jubilant.

As Kevin Ding of the OC Register captures in his postgame column, Derek was motivated:

"Fisher hit the winning shot at the buzzer, turning one night’s defeat into victory – and then instead of stuffing that small success into a duffel bag to take home with him, Fisher unfurled it to display wall-to-wall and examine in the Lakers’ postgame locker room late Wednesday night.

All too often we settle for a smile or a celebration when things go right for us. That’s a fine way to remain powerless and dependent on good luck to get that next big break.

A far better means to a happier end is to think about what went right – and why it went right – so we immediately increase the odds that we can do more good.

Fisher has long been the king of understanding in Lakerland, so he was well aware how disconnected the team has seemed lately. The physical fatigue on Pau Gasol and mental drain on Lamar Odom showed up Wednesday night with red, white and blue vibrancy on the Clippers’ floor."

Derek told Ding that the Lakers have yet to play completely in-sync:

"We have a responsibility to each other to try and play the game a certain way," Fisher explained later. "We have to put each other in position to be successful. We can’t just go out and play with five guys on the court if it’s not really a collective, united team.

"We have several new guys; we’re short-handed in the frontcourt. So we have to take it a step further in terms of commitment to attention and detail and doing some little things a lot better."

To read Ding’s entire column on Derek’s leadership, click here and to see Derek talk at his locker after the game, visit ESPN’s Land O’Lakers.

NEXT UP
A long road trip may be just what the Lakers need to form that bond and that’s what they’re going to get. Los Angeles embarks on a six game trip, starting on Friday night with the Chicago Bulls.

The Lakers are already one up on Chicago this year, winning at home with Derek contributing four points and two assists.

Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. PST and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.

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