After spending last season with the Utah Jazz, veteran guard Derek Fisher’s expertise on Jerry Sloan’s system was the talk of practice today amongst his Lakers teammates, even if the guard himself downplayed its value.
“I guess it can be helpful, just in terms of some overall thoughts and things that I know that Jerry and the coaching staff feel strongly about in terms of what the Jazz like to do,” said Fisher. “But, I think that’s about as far as it goes.”
“The game is such one of reaction and being able to make decisions in a split second’s time that it’s hard for it to become bigger than what it is than just information for guys at times when it can be useful. I don’t know how much it’s going to be helpful as the series goes on.”
Coach Jackson said that while Fisher’s time with the Jazz will certainly help provide the team with an enhanced understanding of Utah’s players, his role as a leader on a team full of younger players is of equal importance.
“There’s a person that knows a lot more than we could ever part to the players,” said Jackson. “We can tell them what we’re going to do and yet there’s the reaction time and all the other things that go into that that make it easier for him. He can tell his teammates also, but they still have to get with it as far I’m concerned…”
“Derek is a student of the game, he’s a leader, he prepares himself well for playing the game. He’s had a good attitude with these young players and even nurtured the young ball players, he’s understood his role this year which as a co-captain, he’s not going to play heavy minutes. We’re going to use him at the right time and this is the right time to step into the role that we’ve been anticipating he would have all the way through this season and here it is playoff time and it’s a valuable time for him and us.”
Almost one year ago this Friday, Fisher was playing on the Jazz’ home court as a member of Utah’s Western Conference Finals runner-up team–something the guard says it took some time getting used to.
“It’s not as strange as spending eight years here and then playing for another team,” said Fisher. “The years paying against the Lakers were more weird than this year, but I think with so much that has changed in my personal life and what we’ve experienced as a family, I think that brings more of a focus to what all has changed.”
Despite coming up with one of last season’s most memorable playoff performances in Game 2 against the Warriors in the Semi Finals, Derek received a chilly reaction from the Energy Solutions Arena crowd during his first visit back wearing the purple and gold uniform.
“Initially, yah. It caught me off guard,” said Fisher, reminiscing about the hostile greeting in the Lakers’ first road game in Salt Lake City this season. “It was one that I didn’t expect; I didn’t expect to be cheered or revered as a hero of any kind, but I didn’t necessarily expect that reaction.”
This time around, the Lakers’ guard says he knows what to expect from one of the most difficult road crowds in the league.
“I think it’ll just be that type of environment where fans, players and coaches are at a very high level emotionally and wanting to lay everything out there possible to try and help each team advance,” said Fisher. “I don’t think things will be out of line or inappropriate in any way, but I do think that myself personally as well as our team can expect a very hostile and raucous environment, but we’re focused on tomorrow night right and taking advantage of the fact that we’ll be in front of our home fans.”
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