Derek Fisher and the Los Angeles Lakers have built a second half surge on the strength of a stingy defense.
On Tuesday night, the Lakers used their best defensive effort in weeks to stretch their post All-Star winning streak to five games with a 90-79 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Over the last five games, LA is allowing just 88.4 points per game, tied for best in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls. Since the break, only one team has posted more than 100 points in a game against the Lakers and even then, Portland needed overtime to reach the century mark. In that time span, teams are shooting just 41.3 percent against LA.
The stellar defense has pushed the Purple and Gold up to ninth in the league in fewest points allowed.
But D-Fish said there’s more to it than defense and some of winning comes down to your mentality:
"I think we’ve been able to continue to expect a lot of ourselves but also have the proper perspective really on what we have done," he said. "I think we focused a lot on the things we haven’t been doing over the course of this season, and think the break allowed us- everybody- to take a snapshot of the reality of what we’ve accomplished over the last few years.
[Understand] we’re not as bad as some may say. Just that quick recognition of the realities of what kind of team we are, the team we’ll be moving forward, has been a really good thing for us."The Lakers overcame adversity again on Tuesday, after falling behind early.
No. 2 has always been known for his ability to pick his spots. So it was no surprise that his best burst came late in the second quarter with the Lakers trailing and in need of a boost. Fish scored his first two points on a pair of free throws, earned after being fouled by Jonny Flynn. On LA’s next possession, Derek buried a three-pointer to tie the game at 36. Moments later he made the most of a Kobe Bryant feed and sank a long jumper for two to knot it again at 38.
Los Angeles went into halftime trailing by five, but the defense stepped up in the second half, allowing Minnesota to score just 34 points after the break.
Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN LA broke down just how effective the Lakers’ defensive effort was:
The Wolves are a horrible offensive team from an efficiency standpoint, this much was apparent going in. But they’re also a reasonably high-scoring group because they like to get out and push. Despite a host of less-than-ideal shots on the offensive end, L.A. limited Minnesota’s opportunities to run, not only forcing them into a halfcourt offense, but a slow one at that. The Wolves managed only 78 field goal attempts on the evening. Save a sluggish first few minutes, the rotations were sharp, putting repeatedly putting Minnesota in situations where they had to take forced jumpers late in the clock.
In the second half, the Lakers limited Minnesota to 34 points, and on the night the Wolves shot only 39.7 percent. This on the heels of holding Oklahoma City to 31 points after the break Sunday afternoon. L.A. was extremely effective keeping the Wolves on the perimeter. No penetration means no free throws. Through three quarters, the home team had only 10.
Derek told Kamenetzky that it’s a matter of the Lakers going into the locker room and assessing what it will take to win, then coming out and executing:
"[We] understand it’s a 48 minute game," he said. "I think there were times earlier in the season where we got impatient if we weren’t in control of the game right away. I think we’re doing a better job of understanding the mentality it takes to win tough games, close games, and not get over concerned what the margin of victory is. Just win the game. I think that’s allowed us to be really solid coming out of the locker room at halftime. We’ll talk about some things, make some adjustments, and come out with a solid game plan."
The defensive effort allowed the Lakers to pull ahead in the third. They iced the game in the fourth when D-Fish capped an 11-4 run with a pair of free throws to put LA up by the 11. The Lakers carried that margin to victory. Derek finished with nine points, a rebound and a steal.
RETURN TO SENDER
The NBA trade deadline saw several players packing their bags for new and unfamiliar destinations.But oddly enough, three players, Shane Battier, Troy Murphy and Jeff Green, were all traded back to the team which drafted them.
With that in mind Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld created a list of the best players to ever return to their first team. With three Finals appearances in his second stint in LA, where he was originally drafted in 1996, No. 2 comes in at No. 1:
"#1 – Derek Fisher, L.A. Lakers (1996-2004, 2007-present) – Fisher entered free agency in 2004 with quite a lot to consider. Yes, he had been a key part of three championship teams in L.A. and was a fan favorite, but with waning playing time, Shaquille O’Neal being traded to the Heat, and Kobe Bryant seriously considering test free agency himself, Fisher felt it was time to move on. Considering the Golden State Warriors offered him three extra years, $22 million extra bucks, and a guaranteed starting role, he had no choice but to leave.
Less than three seasons later, now a member of the Utah Jazz, Fisher’s daughter would be diagnosed with a disease that simply couldn’t be properly treated in Salt Lake City. Fisher requested his release so he could move to a city in which medical specialists were nearby. Benevolently, the Jazz acquiesced, and guess what city had the best combination of doctors and basketball prowess? Before the 2007-2008 season, Fisher re-signed with the Lakers and hasn’t missed an NBA Finals since."
NEXT UP
The Lakers will be looking for a little bit of revenge tonight when they they play host to the Charlotte Bobcats, a team that’s had their number of late.In their most recent meeting, a 109-89 victory for the Bobcats, Fish scored six points.
LA is also hoping to welcome back forward Matt Barnes, who has been out since early January with a knee injury. Derek knows how important Barnes is to the Lakers’ bench, as he told the LA Times:
"Matt is a smart player," D-Fish said. "He’s tough. He competes and I think he has another guy who has a common goal of what this is all about. Having him back there and his energy on the floor and attitude and approach to things is going to be really valuable the rest of the season."
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PST and the game can be seen on Fox West.
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