Derek Fisher, Media Day audio
Whether it comes in the middle of the Finals or on Media Day, there's never a bad time to hear from Derek Fisher. As with everyone else on the team, the loss to Boston (and particularly the final game) put a sour finish on what was otherwise a positive year. It's important, Fish says, to take the good and the bad into the '08-'09 campaign and use last year as a jumping off point.
Defense, a common refrain from coaches and players alike, was (not surprisingly) on Fish's radar.
"Personally, I take some of what happens each season, good and bad, into the following (year). I think there's a lot to learn from lessons of the past- good lessons and bad lessons- and you carry those things with you. Hopefully you grown and mature in a way that will allow you not to repeat some of the mistakes you made the season before. For us, our focus is defensively being the best team we're capable of being. It's one thing to talk about being good on defense and then not having the talent and physical abilities to be good on defense. It's another thing to talk about being good on defense, and you have all the pieces necessary to be the best team in the league defensively. That's one of our main and primary focuses to start camp."
Derek Fisher: Download derek_fisher_media_day.mp3
BK
Fischer seems like a good guy but it's tough to think he's the answer at PG.
Fischer will get eaten alive again when the competition is both young, skilled, quick and lanky, as Rondo displayed.
Posted by: BUTLER | September 29, 2008 at 08:34 PM
I am so glad this blog is officially back on. Thank you Kamenetsky Brothers.
GO DEREK FISHER!
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | September 29, 2008 at 08:35 PM
"Fischer will get eaten alive again when the competition is both young, skilled, quick and lanky, as Rondo displayed."
Like this guy?
http://tinyurl.com/5xm2eu
Posted by: "Pig" Miller | September 29, 2008 at 08:53 PM
LOL Good one Pig
(you stole my link!)
-blitz
Posted by: thekobebryantblitz | September 29, 2008 at 09:03 PM
"Like this guy?"
I wasn't able to open up the link, but I'm guessing it's some footage of Fischer getting outhustled by Ray Allen or someone. Maybe Barbosa?
Posted by: BUTLER | September 29, 2008 at 09:21 PM
With so many guards in the lineup, Fish should not be playing more than 15 minutes per game to reserve his body by playoff time. It will also be great if he plays along with another PG and they make alternating plays in bringing the ball to down court. I envision Da'Fish to be more of a specialist marksman this year in setting alley hoop plays, executing his 0.4 trademark shots than banging his old body with young PG's. A healthy Fisher in the playoffs is more important than a durable Fisher during the season.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | September 29, 2008 at 09:33 PM
"I wasn't able to open up the link,"
That's BS and you know it BUTTLER!
Posted by: "Pig" Miller | September 29, 2008 at 09:40 PM
It's Nash getting his ankles broken!!
Haha!!
-blitz
Posted by: thekobebryantblitz | September 29, 2008 at 09:53 PM
Edwin,
15 Minutes for Derek Fisher??
Fish may be old (34 years old, actually 7 months younger than Stevie "getting my ankles broken" Nash) but he's not too old yet. Jordan still hasn't have the defense required to go against Deron Williams (he got bullied), CP3 (CP3 usually outlasted him though it can be said of many point guards), or even a 36 year old Jason Kidd (the best PG the Suns ever had) and barely kept up with either Allen Iverson and especially Tony Parker.
When Fish is 36 years old then maybe limit his minutes, otherwise Fish is still very good (not a top 10 guard but heck is more solid defensively than either Jordan or even Sun).
And what other guards? Coby Karl? Coby can shoot but until his defense improves he's not really a solid option at the point. Sasha? Sasha got toasted in the past defensively as a point guard and him running the team will take away the "moving without the ball" that he has become so good at. Sun Yue? In the future defensively perhaps but he needs time to develop. Mitchell nor Crawford should even be in the starting lineup this year after the Smush Parker experiment. And Kobe at point guard? That would be a solid option in my opinion but he's more of a shooting guard than a point guard. Once Jordan develops in the next two years can Sasha play SG and allow Kobe in the SF position.
The regular season is just as important as the playoffs and Fish is needed to help defensively, and this Conference is just as tough if not tougher than last year's was.
-blitz
Posted by: thekobebryantblitz | September 29, 2008 at 10:13 PM
Butler....Im really sorry but you have as much cred as Kid Rock has as a musician .....What a joke
Posted by: Thirty2 | September 30, 2008 at 12:40 AM
BUTLER,
>>>Fischer seems like a good guy but it's tough to think he's
>>>the answer at PG.
Yeah, just like in 2000, 2001, and 2002 (not to mention for
.4 seconds in 2004)
>>>Fischer will get eaten alive again when the competition
>>>is both young, skilled, quick and lanky, as Rondo
>>>displayed.
Yeah, the more skilled PG's have always been what beat
the Lakers... like Mark Jackson in 2000 and Allen Iverson
in 2001 and Jason Kidd in 2002.
Oh. Wait. The Lakers won all those series.
Never mind.
Fish will be fine.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | September 30, 2008 at 08:43 AM