Derek Fisher has been a NBA point guard for over a decade, but even he’s never seen a game as lopsided as the one he played in on Tuesday night.
The Los Angeles Lakers took it to a depleted Cleveland Cavaliers team for a 112-57 win at the Staples Center. As the score would indicate, LA dominated on both sides of the floor as every Laker saw action and took at least one shot and the Lakers set a team record for fewest points allowed to their opponent.
No. 2 kicked off the rout by sinking a three-pointer to get the game started. He hit another three a couple of minutes later and already Los Angeles had a seven-point lead. By the time Fish scored his third bucket of the quarter, Los Angeles was up by 17. He finished the quarter with eight of LA’s 27 points as they took a 15-point lead into the second.
The situation only escalated from there. When Derek checked in with 5:28 left in the first half, the Lakers led 42-20. D-Fish did some of his best work of the season on the defensive end, limiting fellow point guard Mo Williams of the Cavs to two points on 1-of-9 from the field. At halftime, the Lakers were ahead by 32.
In the third, Fish notched two assists to Ron Artest, then buried a jumper that made the score 72-27. Shortly thereafter, Derek took a seat on the bench for the night, his work well done. In less than 25 minutes, No. 2 finished with 10 points and exited the game to a standing ovation from an enthusiastic Staples Center crowd. He also added three assists and two rebounds.
The astounding victory should help alleviate tension in Laker Land, as LA now sports a five-game winning streak headed into tonight’s game with Golden State. But Fish knows not to get too high during the highs or low during the lows, as he told the San Jose Mercury News:
"It’s the nature of what happens in an 82-game schedule," he said. "You have these highs and lows, and with us every little thing we do gets chronicled so much."
By now D-Fish is used to it, especially after his last three-peat run, when the even higher profile Lakers were constantly questioned.
"It definitely takes me back to my early years with the Lakers where the question always was: ‘Are these guys going to get it done?’ But we’re working our way through it. It’s just that what we’re trying to do is hard. It’s not an easy thing."
HAIL TO THE GUARD?
As point guard of the NBA Champs and President of the NBA Players’ Association, Derek has plenty on his plate.
But according to a recent players poll conducted by ESPN, many have his peers have been so impressed by Derek’s balancing act and diplomacy that they could see D-Fish taking on an even bigger responsibility once his playing days are over. ESPN asked:
If you were told in the year 2024 that a retired black athlete would be elected president of the United States, whom do you think it would be?
Two Lakers, Magic Johnson and Derek Fisher, finished in a tie for second place, with athletes citing similar reasons for their popularity.
"I grew up idolizing Magic, and now to see him go from a great player to a successful businessman, I think he could do anything," said a current NBA guard. Ditto for Fisher, whom fellow athletes applauded as much for his basketball abilities as being the National Basketball Players Association president for the past four years.
"I’d vote for that guy to do just about anything — league president, charity president, country president," said one NBA All-Star of No. 2.
NBA icon Michael Jordan was the players’ top choice just five percent ahead of Derek and Magic.
NEXT UP
The Lakers will try to make it six straight tonight when they take on the Golden State Warriors in Oakland. In two games against Golden State so far this season Derek is averaging 11 points per.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PST and the game can be seen on KCAL-TV.
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