Derek Fisher
Derek Fisher
Derek Lamar Fisheris an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as the head coach of the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association. He played professionally in the NBA for 18 seasons, spending the majority of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he won five NBA championships. He has also served as president of the National Basketball Players Association...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBasketball Player
Date of Birth9 August 1974
CityLittle Rock, AR
CountryUnited States of America
I feel like it's my job to step up my game to whatever level is needed for the team to be successful while guys are out. I don't know if I'm better; just different.
What is needed changes from night to night. It depends on who is healthy or how different guys are playing. If you put guys in a position where they know they will get their opportunities, then guys get the job done.
This was a team win tonight. We needed it. I was just trying to get to the rim and I did.
Coach Popovich is a very intelligent coach. He must have felt that his team needed to get some emotion while playing the game.
I was just trying to do whatever I needed to help us win. That was the objective. Today we needed extra offense and at times, I provided that. Just not enough to get a win.
We got off to a good start, but we couldn't sustain it. We've experienced that several times this year and we've experienced it against this team before. We haven't been able to put together a good complete game in quite sometime. It's frustrating.
I've played some good games in this building, and when I play here I always push it.
There's still a possibility, and that's what we're playing for. This game felt really good. This was some of the best balance we've had in a long time. It's nice to win one of these games without Jason having to score 99 points.
People feel like we've brought it to the point where a position has to be made: OK, what are we going to do? Are we going to win and make the playoffs? Are we going to make a trade? Who's going to be coach?
Everybody just looks at his scoring, but as he's developed into that player he is now, a lot of it is just his presence. That helps our team. It gives us energy and gives us aggressiveness, gives us the ability to do certain things out on the floor.
That's the type of personality he has. But he does it in a way that's respectful of his teammates. He's never trying to show someone up.
That's the key for us. Being able to really tap into this team's scoring potential, figuring out the sets that we have and the offense that we run, how to be more efficient. Against good defensive teams, you can't game in and game out take difficult shots with guys flying at you and having to get into the lane and create your own shots every time.
We haven't given up. It's our responsibility to finish the season as if we have the best record in the Western Conference. The ability is there and the talent is there. We have to continue to work hard and figure out ways to put wins together.
We know that we aren't playing our best basketball, but we've done enough to win games. What would feel real good is to get the game in Chicago. I think that would really show a lot of growth on our part if we can stay focused and disciplined enough to get that game.