Image via WikipediaBOSTON – After all that, that final kick, that fourth quarter, that impossible layup into the teeth of a Celtic avalanche...tears?Think this game and this team mean much to Derek Fisher?
The Lakers' 91-84 Game 3 victory Tuesday and Fisher's late contributions to it nearly left him crying.
During an interview.
While still on the court.
On national television.
Fisher had to pause before speaking. Then he started but paused again. Finally he apologized for all the pausing and also for the feelings welling up inside him.
Neither apology was necessary, but that's Fisher for you. Doing the right thing so often this time of year.
"You know, I love what I do," he would say later. "And I love helping my team win. To come through again tonight for this team, 14 years in, after so many great moments, it's always quite surreal and quite humbling to experience it again."
On a team famous for its collective ego and flaming self-confidence, Fisher refreshingly possesses both without flaunting either.
"I think as you grow in this game...you start to recognize that being in this moment, on this stage, it's not a given," he said. "To have this opportunity just as a person, I don't think you ever want to look back in life and have any regrets about anything."
With each passing playoff performance, Fisher's doing his part to sell himself. The Lakers would be very wise to make that purchase. Again.
"He's a really terrific leader, we know that, in our locker room," Coach Phil Jackson said. "But his leadership on the court is just a solid presence out there."
Jackson continued speaking for several seconds before adding, "When he's got the opportunity to hit a key shot, it seems like he's always there and ready."
The Lakers have the finest closer in basketball in Kobe Bryant. Tuesday, their closer needed a closer. Jackson went with the lefthander.
Fisher, who hadn't reached double figures in the first two games, reached them in Game 3's fourth quarter alone.
And given that no other Laker would score more than four points in the fourth and that Bryant would shoot 1 of 6, Fisher's 11-point effort shined even brighter.
"He's been criticized quite a bit for his age (35 years old)," Bryant said. "It's a huge thrill for him and for all of us to see him come through in these moments. He's done it over and over and over again, so it's almost his responsibility to our team to do these things."
With the Lakers up one, Fisher hit a layup.
With the Lakers up two, he hit a short jumper.
With the Lakers up four, he hit a longer jumper.
With the Lakers up three, he hit a bank shot.
Are you starting to get the idea that Fisher was just slightly enormous in holding off Boston late? Well, that is the idea.
But then, with the Lakers up four again, Fisher hit his most memorable shot since 0.4 in San Antonio. Yeah, this one was that good, if not quite as dramatic.
After taking an outlet pass in the final minute, Fisher dribbled around Kevin Garnett near half-court, and then charged for the basket. Garnett, Ray Allen and Glen Davis approached in thunderous pursuit.
That's 20 feet, one inch of Celtic. That's 747 pounds of Celtic. That's enough to discourage most NBA players, nearly all of whom are larger than Fisher is at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds.
Fisher leapt toward the rim anyway, lofted the ball as softly as possible off the backboard and was clubbed in the head by Garnett.
Jackson called Fisher's decision to attempt to take the ball the distance "a very bold play."
"It was one on four," Jackson continued. "It was imperative that it goes in for us to win."
The ball went in, a foul was called and the game was over, 48.3 seconds before it was officially done.
So what, from his single greatest individual effort of the night, does Fisher remember most? Everyone else, of course.
"To see Pau's (Pau Gasol) reaction, and my teammates' reactions, that's why those moments feel so good to me," he said. "Hitting the floor didn't feel that good to be honest. But Pau's reaction and Lamar (Odom) and Kobe and what the guys were saying to me, that's why things feel so good."
So was there anything else? Only this: Remember how Allen destroyed Fisher and the Lakers with those long jumpers in Game 3? Allen, again with Fisher guarding him much of the night, was 0 for 13 – 0 for freaking 13! – Tuesday.
"It's like being a kid, man," Fisher said. "You just never get tired of that candy."
http://www.ocregister.com/sports/fisher-252522-lakers-hit.html
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