Lakers' Fisher proves again to be pain for Spurs: Laker quotes

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Lakers' Fisher proves again to be pain for Spurs


By Mike Finger
Express-News

For Derek Fisher, the decimal remains. But now there are two different numbers to put around it.

Four years after his jump shot in the final 0.4 seconds of a playoff game felled the Spurs in dramatic fashion, he crushed them again, this time in the last 2.1 seconds of the Los Angeles Lakers' 93-91 victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

“There's never one play that determines a win or a loss,” Fisher said.

But against the Spurs, Fisher has a knack for making it seem that way.

Tuesday, his game-sealing play came at the other end of the court, with the ball in Brent Barry's hands instead of his own. Fisher jumped out to defend Barry's potential game-winning 3-pointer, causing him to pump fake and bring the ball back down. Then, with Barry twisting to try to get a better look at the basket, Fisher bumped into him on his way down.

Barry's shot missed its mark. The Spurs waited for a whistle that never came. And Fisher, once again, was left explaining just how he rescued the Lakers at the buzzer.

“As he loaded up, I lunged toward him,” Fisher said. “Before I initially made contact with him, I stopped and put my arms down.

“We turned at the same time, so we met simultaneously. There was contact, for sure, but I don't think I ran through him. Had I run through him, I think the referee would have (made a call).”

The Spurs clearly disagreed with that assessment when they were on the court, although coach Gregg Popovich and Barry both told reporters after the game they didn't think Fisher's bump merited a foul.

As for the Lakers? Some of them thought they were due for a little benefit of the doubt on the last play.

“You saw a possible foul?” forward Lamar Odom said. “I saw those all night.”

The Lakers' biggest beef stemmed from their final possession, when the shot clock was not re-set after a shot by Fisher appeared to graze the rim. After the ball went out of bounds off Robert Horry, the Lakers were forced to rush a shot while leading by two points instead of holding the ball and waiting for the Spurs to foul them.

For Fisher, who had struggled to get anything going for much of the series, it was already a decent night before the final seconds. He was 4-of-7 shooting from the field, including a huge baseline jumper that put the Lakers up 90-82 with 2:26 left. He also had two steals and played solid defense on the Spurs' perimeter players.

“It's good, too, to make contributions no matter which way they come,” Fisher said. “Offensively, that's always great. But I felt even better about a couple of steals early in the game and some defensive activity that got us out into transition.”

And in the end, he was able to help the Lakers beat the defending champions in another pressure situation, proving they have more tight-game mettle than some expected a young team to have.

“We were able to do it throughout the year, and it was education,” Odom said. “We've been through it, and we still got a little ways to go.”

[Capt Bringdown]

“There's never one play that determines a win or a loss,” Fisher said.

Interesting, and grotesquely ironic coming from him. I guess the NBA disallow allow buzzer-beater baskets. And maybe we should let a committee decide who should win the game. Let's eliminate the scoreboard while were at it.

I think the Lakers outplayed the Spurs, but despite all that, they still put themselves in a position to lose the game. This seems to be overlooked in most of the discussions I've read about this incident.

Fisher committed a incredibly dumb foul but the refs decided that his mistake didn't count.

[ballhog]

Interesting, and grotesquely ironic coming from him. I guess the NBA disallow allow buzzer-beater baskets. And maybe we should let a committee decide who should win the game. Let's eliminate the scoreboard while were at it.

I think the Lakers outplayed the Spurs, but despite all that, they still put themselves in a position to lose the game. This seems to be overlooked in most of the discussions I've read about this incident.

Fisher committed a incredibly dumb foul but the refs decided that his mistake didn't count.

Well said. Joey C. right there to make it so.

[MadDog73]

Interesting, and grotesquely ironic coming from him. I guess the NBA disallow allow buzzer-beater baskets. And maybe we should let a committee decide who should win the game. Let's eliminate the scoreboard while were at it.

I think the Lakers outplayed the Spurs, but despite all that, they still put themselves in a position to lose the game. This seems to be overlooked in most of the discussions I've read about this incident.

Fisher committed a incredibly dumb foul but the refs decided that his mistake didn't count.

Exactly.

I don't get the logic that somehow Barry didn't "deserve" to get that call.

WTF? A foul is a foul. Why taint the series?

Now, even if the Lakers win it all, there will always be questions: Was the league trying to set up a Laker/Celtic final?

[Nahtanoj]

Foul, travel, not a foul... doesn't matter anymore. Either the Lakers eliminate them in G5 or the Spurs win 3 straight. :/

[Fabbs]

Had I run through him, I think the referee would have (made a call).
Gee you think so?
Don't be too sure Fisher.

[LakersDomination]

This is very similar to when Fisher hit 0.4 secs against the Spurs...
You guys need to move on and figure out why the Spurs look so old...
You can argue all day about the foul but the fact is the game is over and you need to talk about what they need to do to win 3 more games..