Since the All-Star break, it seems that nothing has been able to stop the Los Angeles Lakers and in the past four seasons, nothing has been able to stop Derek Fisher.
This weekend, both those axioms held true.
Despite a sprained elbow, suffered in a Friday night tie up, Derek started his 477th consecutive game on Sunday and helped the Lakers to a victory.
The injury occured with 3:36 remaining in the third quarter of LA’s 92-84 win over the Bobcats on Friday. In the midst of a solid game, D-Fish was reaching for a rebound when his a arm got locked up with that of former Laker Kwame Brown. Dave McMenamin of ESPN LA described the incident:
"Fisher’s left arm became interlocked with Brown’s as the two fought for a rebound with 3:36 remaining in the third quarter and the Lakers leading 61-47. Fisher was called for a foul and then fell to the floor in pain after Brown wrestled the ball away following the whistle.
"It was just a play that happened," said Brown, a former teammate of Fisher’s in L.A., following the game. "It was nothing big or malicious. He got his hand caught. It was nothing. Fish is going to be fine; he’s a big boy."
Fisher left the game and did not return, despite lobbying his case to remain on the court.
"He didn’t want to come out of the game," Shannon Brown said about Fisher. "Coach, it was his call. Fish wasn’t happy about it, but I’m sure it’s probably going to help."
Said Phil Jackson: "I wanted to get him back and get him icing his arm as soon as possible so that he’ll be ready on Sunday."
With only one day to rest the injury before Sunday’s meeting with the Spurs, Fish’s status was questionable at best. But after Lakers trainer Gary Vitti examined the injury, Jackson was assured that Derek would be OK.
"I think he’ll be ready," Jackson said. "He’s strong as an ox so I think that he’s got enough strength to probably hold it together.”
Sure enough, there was Fish on Sunday, back in the lineup for the 477th consecutive time as if nothing had happened.
"Fish is a tough guy, we all know that," Lakers guard Shannon Brown said. "Unless
[his arm is] actually detached, he’s definitely going to be out there playing."The strain wasn’t about to keep D-Fish from Sunday’s big game and his presence helped push the Lakers to their best win of the season. LA’s 99-83 win over San Antonio was also their seventh straight victory.
The Lakers jumped out to a large lead with the help of five points in the first from Fish. No. 2 hit a three to put the Lakers ahead 8-4 early and added a two that made it 24-13. But it was LA’s early spacing and the subsequent ball movement that most impressed Darius Soriano of Forum Blue and Gold:
Against the Spurs, we were treated to a clinic in generating good spacing and we were all witness to how that spacing can create great looks for the team. With Kobe and Fisher setting the tone with good entries to the post and the wing and then cutting and screening hard off the ball the Lakers were able to move into their proper positions and then run their sets with fantastic efficiency.
On multiple possessions the ball moved quickly and without hesitation from the wing to the post to the opposite side of court with a wide open shot the final result. And when the ball was shot the players that had never quit moving into position for the next pass were then able to get position for offensive rebounds. I mentioned the Lakers’ defensive efficiency of 88.1, but their offensive efficiency was a dynamic 154.8 as they did everything right.
Though they established a large lead early, the Lakers kept their foot on the gas and No. 2 closed out the second quarter with his second three of the game. That trey put Los Angeles up by 29 points going into the locker room. From there, the Lakers coasted, knocking down the team with the NBA’s best record for just the 12th time this season.
Derek added three assists to go with his eight points in the win.
NEXT UP
Fish and the Lakers continue their four-game road trip this week against three more teams with secure spots in the postseason.On Tuesday, LA is in Atlanta take on the team they kicked off their winning streak against, the Hawks. Derek scored 10 points in that win last month and LA will be looking for an encore performance.
The game tips off at 4 p.m. PST and can be seen on KCAL-TV.
RELATED STORIES
- Derek Fisher In (ESPN LA, March 6, 2011)
- Fisher sprains left elbow vs. Bobcats (Lakers.com, March 4, 2011)
- Lakers take down NBA-best Spurs to notch seventh straight victory (ESPN.com, March 6, 2011
- Derek Fisher (elbow) Day to Day (ESPN.com, March 5, 2011)
- Fisher mum on injury (OC Register, March 4, 2011)
- Matt Barnes, Derek Fisher return from injuries (LA Times, March 6, 2011)
- Picturesque play silences Spurs (Forum Blue and Gold, March 6, 2011)