In the last several months Derek Fisher has been called old, washed-up, decrepit, worn down and even terrible. After hitting two huge three pointes those adjectives quickly changed to savvy, veteran, clutch, reliable, and winner. Oh what a fickle world we live in.
Kobe Bryant was double teamed in the backcourt, he flung the ball ahead to Fisher and with his team down by 3 with less than 10 seconds remaining, Fisher stepped into a three and buried it to tie the score 87-87, and eventually lead to overtime.
With the score tied in overtime and only 31 seconds remaining Bryant was again double teamed. He again kicked the ball to Fisher from the post to the top of the arch, and again he buried the 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 94-91 lead. It was all the points they needed as they took a 3-games-to-1 advantage with a 99-91 victory over the Orlando Magic.
Fisher was only 2-7 from behind the arch, but he made the most important two.
“Character,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of his point guard. “Character has to be in players if they are going to be great payers. He is a person with great character and he brings that to play.”
While many pundits have questioned why Fisher received so much playing time, Jackson trusted his point guard. For his part Fisher understands his role.
“I have a responsibility to my team that if I’m going to be on the court I have to make plays,” he said of his two big shots. “We can’t always count on Kobe.”
It’s a good thing they didn’t wait for as Kobe struggled much of the 4th quarter, scoring only four points, and missing some wide-open 3s in overtime.
While his statsheet says sensational at 32 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists, for the man deemed ‘the worlds best closer’ he struggled in big possessions.
However in this game his teammates bailed him out. Trevor Ariza lead the Lakers back from a 12-point halftime deficit by scoring 13 3rd quarter points. Ariza provided energy and aggression on defense and knocked down three point shots when the defense collapsed on Bryant or forward Pau Gasol.
Bryant did provide a spark to his team with several defensive plays on center Dwight Howard. Late in the 3rd quarter Bryant muscled the ball away from the player known as “Superman.” Howard immediately grabbed and fouled Bryant who took exception and swung an elbow at the center. The two Team USA teammates bickered as they walked down the court for Bryant to shoot free throws.
Bryant and Howard met again with 11.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter with the Magic up 3. Howard received a pass in position to dunk, but Bryant grabbed and yanked him to the ground sending him to the line for two free throws.
Howard missed both free throws setting up Fishers heroics.
Howard had a triple-double–16 points, 21 rebounds and 10 blocks-but struggled from the free throw line going 6-14.
The Magic, which came out of the gate with enthusiasm, can only wonder what could have been. After missing a chance to win Game 2 at the buzzer they turned the ball over 15 times, missed 15 free throws and couldn’t put the Lakers away in Game 5.
“The mood was obviously very somber,” Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said of his team after the loss.
They have two days to shake off the loss or it will quickly become a somber summer as well.
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- ⊚ Lakers beat Magic, 100-75, In Game 1 Of Finals
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