
From Kevin Ding, OC Register: Known as the NBA’s leading politician, Derek Fisher found his platform again. Fisher hit the winning shot at the buzzer, turning one night’s defeat into victory – and then instead of stuffing that small success into a duffel bag to take home with him, Fisher unfurled it to display wall-to-wall and examine in the Lakers’ postgame locker room late Wednesday night. All too often we settle for a smile or a celebration when things go right for us. That’s a fine way to remain powerless and dependent on good luck to get that next big break. A far better means to a happier end is to think about what went right – and why it went right – so we immediately increase the odds that we can do more good.
From Mark Medina, LA Times: As the Lakers huddled together on the sideline with 3.1 seconds remaining, Fisher planned out what he would do should he receive the ball. It wasn’t likely that scenario would play out, considering the first option would go to Kobe Bryant on the perimeter or Pau Gasol inside. But with each of them heavily marked, Lakers forward Matt Barnes inbounded the ball to Fisher near the top of the key. As soon as Fisher caught the ball, he noticed Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe marked him as if he would shoot from long-range. Instead, Fisher drove through the lane and lofted a left-handed layup that reminded him of his coast-to-coast drive that signified his clutch Game 3 performance of the 2010 NBA Finals. Clippers center DeAndre Jordan nearly swatted it, but just missed.
From Mark Medina, LA Times: The Lakers have listed backup center Derrick Caracter as day-to-day after spraining his left ankle in the team’s 87-86 victory Thursday over the Clippers. “It’s cool,” Caracter said in a brief interview before walking out of the locker room. He collided with Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, fell on the floor and limped for two possessions before being removed with 1:33 remaining. Though he didn’t return after getting treatment, Caracter is listed among the reserves as well as Lakers center Andrew Bynum as players expected to practice Thursday morning before departing in the afternoon for a six-game trip beginning Friday at Chicago.
From Brian Kamenetzky, Land O’ Lakers: No, the first option for the Lakers in what would become the game winning sequence in Wednesday’s 87-86 win over the Clippers was not Derek Fisher receiving the ball near halfcourt with about three seconds to play, then putting it on the floor and driving to the bucket. I don’t exactly know where it was on the list, but it definitely wasn’t first. In the video below, Fish breaks down the final play, adding a lot of interesting details about how he prepared himself mentally for what he might have to do if he got the ball depending on how the defense responded, the difficulty players have in defending situations like that, and whether he had a chance to see the clock before starting his move (a strong hint: no, he didn’t). As Fish can do, he’s able to provide a fair amount of detail, essentially noting the anatomy of an end-game possession. Interesting stuff…
From Brian Kamenetzky, Land O’ Lakers: The Lakers rightly ought to go on to win a bunch of games this year, but not many will be grittier than this one. They spent much of the game running through mud- playing hard, but they certainly not well, and there wasn’t much energy to feed off in the arena, with the Staples crowd basically split in half between L.A.’s two squads. But while the offense bogged down, the defense stood up, forcing critical turnovers. And when they absolutely, positively needed points, Kobe Bryant came through with two big jumpers, and Derek Fisher finished off the Clippers with- and I totally called this as the Lakers came out of the timeout- a driving layup on a play starting well beyond the three point line.
From Dexter Fishmore, Silver Screen and Roll: Pop open the Derek Fisher greatest-hits mixtape and make room for another track. Sure, it was only the Clippers and the calendar says it’s still just December, but Fisher’s intangibles care not for your calendars, son! Whether it’s a June night in Boston or a regular-season playdate with the Clips, Old Man Fish stands ready to rock your world whenever you least expect it. Tonight, it’s safe to say, none of us expected it – not after 47 minutes and 57 seconds of the Lakers sucking out loud and Fish doing little to remind us he was even in the building. But those last three seconds… ahh, yes. That’s when Fish grabs a game and makes it his.
From Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports: Everyone else on these Los Angeles Clippers had disappeared down the hallway and toward the locker room, leaving behind one more snapshot from decades of disappointment. Only, Blake Griffin wouldn’t move. He stood there, ball tucked under his arm, and stared across the Staples Center floor. He wore that ghastly, gaunt Clippers face, and watched the NBA champions cackle. “I was just thinking, ‘Wow, that really happened,’ ” he would say quietly at his locker later.
From Scott Howard Cooper, NBA.com: Ron Artest has come up with a way to top Ron Artest. Before he even gives away his 2010 championship ring in an online raffle to raise funds and increase awareness of mental-health issues in schools, the Lakers small forward is already focusing on another unprecedented donation that would mean millions of dollars and immeasurable attention to the same important cause. He told NBA.com he is seriously thinking about handing over at least half, and maybe all, of next season’s $6.79 million salary.
heh8meN1 says
The FisherKING. The act that just keeps getting better and better over time.
HOOK. LINE. And SINKER.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCEJmngMeX8
flye says
For some reason, Blake Griffin walking off the court with the ball still in his hands made me respect him even more. That kid is a true competitor.
(Also, for anyone who missed the hilarious Artest rebound from Monday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjXOcJNe4LU)
Igor Avidon says
Ron reminded me of Chuck Hayes last night as he bottled up Griffin in the post. Talk about being a stump – Griffin is probably one of the strongest players in the league today and Ron didn’t give an inch when Blake was trying to post him up. Great clutch D by Ron.
And I love watching Griffin play. It’s a similar feeling I had when LeBron entered the league (before his ego became WAY out of control). The kid’s sheer athleticism and nastiness on the court is tantalizing. He wants to destroy his opponent. I can’t wait to see him posterize and stare down KG for 48 minutes straight.
Rudy says
I haven’t been back here since last season so hey fellow die-hard Lakers. I was very enthused about the start of the season but really see us kind of bored out there waiting for the playoffs to start already.
My question to everyone here and I’m sure it’s been touched on already is, what is going on with Pau Gasol? He looks slow and sloppy out there all of a sudden. Noah, Hibbert, and whoever the clippers center was out there have been defending him with ease lately. Cause for concern?
Bobji says
My guess is that Pau is just gassed from being the only big man out there without real backup. Odom’s not a bruiser type player and Caracter had been playing few minutes anyways, so it has fallen on Pau to play almost the whole game against the most physical players.
Are we going to see Artest play more 4 until Bynum’s back?
VoR says
Rudy,
What is going on with Gasol is that he has no back up. He can’t give away fouls because he has to stay on the court (got to be careful on aggressive D and rebounding), he has to D up the opposition’s big man, cover for Laker guards getting beat, box out and rebound, bang down low on offensive (who else is there?), be a play maker and focal point for the offense and not sit down for more than a minute or two. The other night he almost threw in a triple double (would have been his second of the year). What’s wrong with Gasol is that Bynum and Ratliff are out and there is no one else.
The only cause for concern is if Bynum can’t make it back and then, yes, there is cause for concern. Otherwise, no.
At least, in my humble opinion.
Charles says
Probably the main thing wrong with Pau is fatigue- he’s playing 40+ minutes way too often and apparently he’s tweaked his hamstring again too. Also he’d just played a lot of minutes again against the Wizards on Monday night.
WIth Caracter now hurt we pretty much have to sign a fill-in backup right? Bynum says he’ll be back soon but he can’t be expected to be effective. I don’t think we can hold off on it anymore since the workload is getting to Pau.
lil' pau says
I haven’t seen this posted anywhere, but Kobe is now 21 points from passing Havlicek and becoming the #11th highest point scorer, all-time. By the time this season ends, he should jump all the way to sixth!
http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/pts_career.html
No more Celts on the list above him, unless you count the Big Traitor.
Darius Soriano says
A new post is up.
http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2010/12/09/score-on-the-lakers-while-you-can/
T. Rogers says
Throw in the fact the Triangle runs best when Gasol is on the floor. Quite simply the other players eat better off Pau than the do Kobe. When Pau sits down the Lakers offense quickly becomes discombobulated. That is why Phil has to play him so many minutes. I noticed this even when Theo was still in the rotation.
Two more games until Bynum’s return. I won’t expect much. But if he can play enough minutes to get Pau beneath the 40 minute mark (and even close to 35) it would be great.
lil' pau says
10, i don’t see any way pau gets that low. we’ll be lucky if AB starts out at 12 mins per game, but it’s not like Pau will sit the whole time. Don’t forget, Pau has been playing out of position– some of AB’s minutes will have Pau at the 4 where he belongs.