| 21 May 2010
NBA.com set up a Q&A session with Doug Collins, and bloggers from the 4 remaining teams got to ask him a question or two...
Representing the Lakers, Chris Clark of Silver Screen & Roll, and yours truly!
I asked the following question:
Can Derek Fisher have more success against Steve Nash than he did against Westbrook/Williams?
Doug Collins: Well I think the interesting thing about that is that Derek Fisher - he's one of my favorite players and I'm not ashamed to say that because the guy is a winner and he's takes the challenge every night. I think a lot of times people want to look at the stats.
Well look at Westbrook's stats opposed to Fish, or look what Deron Williams is doing or look at Steve Nash. Derek Fisher has a job to do. Normally with these point guards today - it's a point guard driven league- so much of the game, when you play the Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, when you face the 45, 50 pick and rolls from all different angles, it's a team thing.
When you have to be able to force Steve Nash, in this series, to where you know your help is going to be. You need to have your teammates cover for you.
Fish is tough, one thing he does- a lot of guards when they face a screen, they will lay on the screen -- he fights through that screen and punishes screeners. Like in Game #1 when you looked at his stats- yeah well you know, he was one of three, had 3 free throws, one assist, 5 points, but he does what they need at that position.
And a big part of the turnaround for the Lakers is - people forget that the Suns a few years ago beat this team 4 out of 5 and Kobe was asking to be traded. - was when Derek Fisher came back to the Lakers because that team and Phil Jackson have so much confidence in what he brings every night.
You can see the rest of the responses at NBA.com!
