Derek Fisher and the Los Angeles Lakers welcome the New Jersey Nets to Staples Center tonight for a reunion with a pair of old friends and a meeting with a team Fish loves to face.
Two of Derek’s former backups, Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmar return to LA on Friday as members of the Nets. While Vujacic played in 11 games as a Laker this season before LA sent him to the Nets in a trade, it will be Farmar’s first time back at Staples since Game 7 of the NBA Finals and prior to the game, D-Fish and Kobe will present Farmar with his 2010 championship ring.
But the pleasantries stop there as, once the game tips, D-Fish will be all business just as he was in a mid-December matchup in New Jersey. That afternoon, the Lakers beat the Nets 99-92 with Fish playing a big part in the victory.
No. 2 scored 10 points in the game, including six in the first quarter when the Lakers jumped to a six-point lead. Derek also collected four rebounds in the win. The strong day just extended a career-long run against New Jersey for D-Fish. In his career against the Nets, Fish has enjoyed a string of success that he’s matched against few other teams.
In 25 games against the Nets, Derek has averaged 10.9 points per game and only the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks have seen Derek score more frequently. No. 2 has done it while sinking 47.6 of his shots in New Jersey’s nets, his highest rate of success against any NBA team.
The Lakers will be going for their seventh straight win tonight after they won their sixth consecutive game on Wednesday, taking down the Golden State Warriors on the road in Oakland.
Derek scored two points in the game, hitting his lone bucket just 50 seconds into the contest. For the rest of the night, Fish was busy finding teammates and No. 2 finished second on the Lakers with six assists in the victory.
D-Fish tallied three assists in the first three quarters, but saved his best for when the Lakers needed him most. Los Angeles went into the fourth quarter down six points and exploded for 46 points in the final period, coming from behind to win, 115-110.
Derek’s three fourth quarter assists went to three different Lakers. He first found Shannon Brown, then Lamar Odom, to start the quarter off right. But No. 2 capped his night with his most important pass, a dime to Kobe Bryant for the back-breaking three with under a minute to play.
GAME TIME
Tonight’s game against the Nets tips off at 7:30 p.m. PST and will be televised on Fox West.
Then on Sunday, Fish and the Lakers hit the road without leaving town when they take on the Clippers as the road team at the Staples Center. That Sunday matinee tips off at 12:30 p.m. PST on KCAL.
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