Lakers 106, Jazz 95
They came into the league together in the 1996 draft and have had each other's back ever since. Derek Fisher has been Kobe Bryant's closest NBA friend and biggest defender, whether it was the feuds with Shaquille O'Neal or the sexual-assault charge in Colorado.
This was Bryant's turn to repay the favor after Fisher was booed by Jazz fans in his return to Utah on Nov. 30. That's critical to understand when Bryant uses a bad word in talking to a Salt Lake City radio station and talks about sending messages after Thursday's game.
Fisher actually got the BEST reception of any of the five Lakers starters Thursday - - he heard cheers and boos while the other four were loudly booed - - and the boos that greeted his first touch were not sustained the rest of the night.
The Lakers played like a team determined to end the Jazz's 19-game home winning streak and Bryant stuck up for Fisher once last time after things were over.
"He took it personally; I know I sure as hell did," Bryant said. "I was talking with Derek when he was going through that whole situation, contemplating whether or not he should play and saying how the city embraced him and he felt he owed it to the fans to come back and play despite the situation.
"And then to come back here the first time and be received the way he was received, I saw how it affected him. Derek's the type of guy that's not going to say anything, but I'll say it for him: He took it personally tonight and we wanted to send messages."
Bryant added: "I had a great deal of respect for [Jazz fans] and I saw what happened to Derek and a lot of that went away."
The truth is Fisher's departure was clumsy - - on both sides - - leaving fans to interpret things for themselves. It worked out as a win-win for both Fisher, who returned to a team he never should have left in the Lakers, and the Jazz, who have replaced him with Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver.
Even before it happened, the Jazz believed Bryant was soured on Utah fans based on how Karl Malone was treated in his return to Utah during his lone season with the Lakers.
Talking about Fisher at the pregame shootaround, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan praised his professionalism but clearly didn't want to start a discussion about his departure. "Otherwise you're just trying to drag something out that's no need to be drug out," Sloan said.
Carlos Boozer said he talked to Fisher on Wednesday night and that Fisher even went to their old barber for a haircut. "He's always going to be a brother of mine no matter what uniform he puts on," Boozer said.
* * *
You could see Thursday's loss coming just as easily as you could see the Jazz getting up to beat the Celtics on the road last Friday. The Jazz were due a stinker at home and the first quarter against the Lakers (and all those missed layups) definitely qualified.
* * *
The Jazz bench was outscored 25-9 in the game, getting just four points from Paul Millsap and five from Matt Harpring. The Lakers got 11 points each from Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic, two former late first-round picks who have become key contributors.
The key stretch to the game might have been the start of the fourth quarter. Lakers coach Phil Jackson opted to sit Bryant even with the Jazz having closed within 12 points and Deron Williams staying in to start the fourth.
Farmar and Vujacic both rose to the occasion, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers. Farmar hit another jumper and Ronny Turiaf another as the Lakers opened up a 91-72 lead, plenty of cushion for Bryant's return.
(Bryant was out of his seat on the bench and practically coaching alongside Phil Jackson during the stretch.)
There also was a moment in the game when the Lakers came out of a timeout and Farmar walked back onto the court singing along with "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and nudging his teammates to join him. That's being unfazed by your surroundings.
* * *
Deron Williams played 46 minutes and sat for just 2:01, coming at the end of the first quarter. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan opted to go with Williams the entire second half, with Williams scoring 18 of his 26 points in the third and fourth quarters.
Ronnie Price was clearly frustrated at the end of the first quarter, presumably when he found out that Williams would be replacing him so quickly. The Jazz bench went 3 for 16 in the game, including 0 for 5 by Kyle Korver.
* * *
There was a lot of purple and gold in the stands and, as I noted in my game story, for the first time during the Jazz's home winning streak, EnergySolutions Arena didn't feel completely their own.
"There's definitely a lot of Laker fans," Deron Williams said. "We didn't give our fans much to cheer about at the beginning of the game. I think they overshadowed us a little bit. But anytime you're on the West Coast, you're going to have Laker fans everywhere."
* * *
Thanks to TNT, Thursday night's game tipped off at 8:53 p.m. and ended so late that I packed up my computer in the press room while the credits to Craig Ferguson's show were rolling on a nearby television.
--Ross Siler
This was Bryant's turn to repay the favor after Fisher was booed by Jazz fans in his return to Utah on Nov. 30. That's critical to understand when Bryant uses a bad word in talking to a Salt Lake City radio station and talks about sending messages after Thursday's game.
Fisher actually got the BEST reception of any of the five Lakers starters Thursday - - he heard cheers and boos while the other four were loudly booed - - and the boos that greeted his first touch were not sustained the rest of the night.
The Lakers played like a team determined to end the Jazz's 19-game home winning streak and Bryant stuck up for Fisher once last time after things were over.
"He took it personally; I know I sure as hell did," Bryant said. "I was talking with Derek when he was going through that whole situation, contemplating whether or not he should play and saying how the city embraced him and he felt he owed it to the fans to come back and play despite the situation.
"And then to come back here the first time and be received the way he was received, I saw how it affected him. Derek's the type of guy that's not going to say anything, but I'll say it for him: He took it personally tonight and we wanted to send messages."
Bryant added: "I had a great deal of respect for [Jazz fans] and I saw what happened to Derek and a lot of that went away."
The truth is Fisher's departure was clumsy - - on both sides - - leaving fans to interpret things for themselves. It worked out as a win-win for both Fisher, who returned to a team he never should have left in the Lakers, and the Jazz, who have replaced him with Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver.
Even before it happened, the Jazz believed Bryant was soured on Utah fans based on how Karl Malone was treated in his return to Utah during his lone season with the Lakers.
Talking about Fisher at the pregame shootaround, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan praised his professionalism but clearly didn't want to start a discussion about his departure. "Otherwise you're just trying to drag something out that's no need to be drug out," Sloan said.
Carlos Boozer said he talked to Fisher on Wednesday night and that Fisher even went to their old barber for a haircut. "He's always going to be a brother of mine no matter what uniform he puts on," Boozer said.
* * *
You could see Thursday's loss coming just as easily as you could see the Jazz getting up to beat the Celtics on the road last Friday. The Jazz were due a stinker at home and the first quarter against the Lakers (and all those missed layups) definitely qualified.
* * *
The Jazz bench was outscored 25-9 in the game, getting just four points from Paul Millsap and five from Matt Harpring. The Lakers got 11 points each from Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic, two former late first-round picks who have become key contributors.
The key stretch to the game might have been the start of the fourth quarter. Lakers coach Phil Jackson opted to sit Bryant even with the Jazz having closed within 12 points and Deron Williams staying in to start the fourth.
Farmar and Vujacic both rose to the occasion, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers. Farmar hit another jumper and Ronny Turiaf another as the Lakers opened up a 91-72 lead, plenty of cushion for Bryant's return.
(Bryant was out of his seat on the bench and practically coaching alongside Phil Jackson during the stretch.)
There also was a moment in the game when the Lakers came out of a timeout and Farmar walked back onto the court singing along with "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and nudging his teammates to join him. That's being unfazed by your surroundings.
* * *
Deron Williams played 46 minutes and sat for just 2:01, coming at the end of the first quarter. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan opted to go with Williams the entire second half, with Williams scoring 18 of his 26 points in the third and fourth quarters.
Ronnie Price was clearly frustrated at the end of the first quarter, presumably when he found out that Williams would be replacing him so quickly. The Jazz bench went 3 for 16 in the game, including 0 for 5 by Kyle Korver.
* * *
There was a lot of purple and gold in the stands and, as I noted in my game story, for the first time during the Jazz's home winning streak, EnergySolutions Arena didn't feel completely their own.
"There's definitely a lot of Laker fans," Deron Williams said. "We didn't give our fans much to cheer about at the beginning of the game. I think they overshadowed us a little bit. But anytime you're on the West Coast, you're going to have Laker fans everywhere."
* * *
Thanks to TNT, Thursday night's game tipped off at 8:53 p.m. and ended so late that I packed up my computer in the press room while the credits to Craig Ferguson's show were rolling on a nearby television.
--Ross Siler
1:52 AM
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7 Comments:
Don't you love how Kobe took this game so 'personally', but the game in which Derek was first booed he didn't? I guess it's selective since they were blown out the first game.
i love how classless jazz fans are . Not just fisher getting booed , but throwing things on the court . the first meeting this year my friend and i got beer and food thrown at us and the jazz killed the lakers then . it just shows like espn said the worst fans in the nba are jazz fans . wait until the playoffs and you jazz fans can throw more stuff at the refs. and players . Complain and whine all you want , but don't worry you'll get a new banner again this year division champs ...
"Derek's the type of guy that's not going to say anything, but I'll say it for him: He took it personally tonight and we wanted to send messages."
So, in other words, Derek is classy and won't whine about a few people booing - but Kobe isn't as classy, and will whine.
Laker4Life - how can someone who cheers for a rapist call another group of people classless?
Oh, and who is this espn fellow you are talking about?
I am surprised and disappointed to find so many Jazz fans that are unwilling to see the bigger picture. Stop thinking about sports for one minute and realize that the man's daughter was diagnosed with cancer. If you are a parent I am sure that you can appreciate the gravity of the situation. If you are not, just realize that cancer kills and the fear of losing a child can be devastating. During times of stress it is essential to have a strong support system, and the Fisher's support system is very strong in LA (stronger than in Utah).
By virtue of being a life long Jazz fan from Utah I have always despised the Lakers. As a father I am in complete support of what Fisher did for his family. Kudos to Derek Fisher for having the courage to do what was right. To all of the Jazz fans who felt it was necessary to boo him: I boo you.
josh--
First, I must compliment you on not only what you wrote, but how you worded it. Very eloquent and yet exactly to the point.
I am one of those evil Laker fans. (I guess I could be considered a troll here.)
Whether the situation between Fisher and the Jazz was clumsy (as I read elsewhere on this blog) or not I give the Jazz organization thumbs up for allowing Fisher to opt out. Even if it had not worked out for the Lakers, it still showed the Jazz as a whole are a class organization, and I respect them for it.
It's too bad a few frenzied fan-atics spoil it for the vast majority of the Jazz fan nation, but you will find a few like them at every arena.
See y'all come playoff time.....
I agree with Josh. As a lifelong Jazz fan, myself, I have always despised the Lakers, beginning with the 88-89 team that brought the likes of Byron Scott, James Worthy, Magic, Kareem, Mychael Thompson, Michael Cooper, and Kurt Rambis. The Jazz fans do fail to see the entire picture. Not just as Derek Fisher the father, but from strictly a Jazz point of view.
First, if a player doesn't want to play for a team, he only hurts that team, whether it be on the court or team chemistry. If the player doesn't want to play for you, then you really don't want the player on your team.
Second, whether it was total BS or the truth, the fact of the matter is that Jazz executives and ownership agreed to let him out of the contract. What is done is done, get over it!
Third, the Jazz save a ton of money against the cap for the next few years, which gives them a better chance of holding on to assets like Paul Millsap. Quick question to other Jazz fans, in two years, would you rather have Derek Fisher or Paul Millsap? If the answer is Millsap, then shut up about Fisher and the situation.
Fourth, Jazz fans aren't the only fans to throw stuff onto the floor. Don't believe me ask Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal.
Fifth, you can boo Fisher for being in a Laker uniform, or for that matter, any other uniform. This goes for any player of any other team, that's why it's called home court advantage. I don't expect Jazz fans to cheer loudly for Garnett, whether it was in a T-Wolves or now a Celtics jersey. You boo the other team in your arena. However, you can't boo him for looking out for his daughter. By the way, Larry Miller and the other front office staff have all said they take Fisher at his word. They were involved, we weren't, drop it!
Finally, kay chizzle, you cannot call Kobe Bryant a rapist. He was charged, by the charges were dropped amid confessions from the accuser that she was not actually raped. You can call Kobe an adulterer, a cheater, immoral (for cheating on his wife), or any other number of synonymns, but you cannot call him a rapist. And by the way, I am not a fan of Kobe Bryant.
Mr. Siler: Bryant added: "I had a great deal of respect for [Jazz fans] and I saw what happened to Derek and a lot of that went away."
Mr. Bryant's shocked, just shocked, I tell you, that Jazz fans would boo a member of the opposing team (and a member of a heated [hated?] rival, at that! ) The man's an adulterer at best and a rapist at worst, and he wants to lecture Jazz fans about whom they boo?
Gimme a break!
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