Can Los Angeles Lakers win another championship with Derek Fisher? NBA Feature
Extended NBA offseason has provided additional time for fan’s imagination to wander about. Like others, fans of Los Angeles Lakers have questions in abundance to noodle around before the season starts.
Dramatic departure of the head coach after the disappointing season when Lakers were swept off by Dallas Mavericks in the playoff series and hiring of a new coach Mike Brown has given birth to more questions than answers.
The team that has grabbed seventeen NBA championships so far looks to be in shambles all of a sudden after the last series.
Fans, naturally were heartbroken after Lakers performance in the playoffs. Team and players were bombarded with criticism but the man who was held responsible for team’s dismal performance and became the prime target of criticism
is the 37 year old point guard Derek Fisher.
For past few seasons, Derek Fisher’s position as a point guard was the point of concern for the team but after Derek’s inability to guard Dallas Maverick’s Jason Kidd and Jason Terry last season, just amplified the concern.
All the previous heroics of Derek were almost immediately forgotten. He looked lethargic and feeble against Terry and Kidd who penetrated the veteran with ease.
But why blame Derek only? In the series against Mavericks, the whole team looked indolent. Even Pau Gasol and Ron Artest were below average in the playoffs but unfortunately for Derek, it did not stop all the criticism to flow
in Derek’s direction.
Fans are emotional creatures. Only two years back, they were all praise for Derek when his excellent on field shooting became the reason for Lakers winning the championship. But fans only live in present. They don’t seem to have
any respect for past and only honor the existent glory.
Fans of this modern era want their stars young, athletic and agile which unfortunately the veteran is not by any means. But when he was young, he was a delight to watch.
Fisher was never a scorer though, but his importance in the court was crucial. What Derek has offered to Lakers over the years is intangible and cannot be evaluated. If you look at his overall stats, his team mates Kobe Bryant
and Pau Gasol are way ahead of him but it is the leadership and skillfulness of Derek that makes him an equally important asset for team.
But unfortunately for Derek, Lakers are looking for a scapegoat who they can sacrifice to cool off the critics and fans and it very much looks like that Fisher would be it. Los Angeles Lakers still would need to think with open
mind before taking any decision as Derek has been a loyal servant to the team for a very long time and player of his caliber can bounce back any time. Los Angeles Lakers might regret their decision if they let him go.
He may have lost his fitness with time, but the skills are still intact and though people argue that Lakers should not continue with him and bring a new rooster who can play for a long time, I still think he should be given a last
chance.
He has the experience and none can deny the fact that experience is a blessing. Derek knows his limits and though his performance has been on a downward spiral, the veteran still has the ability to stun his opponents on his day.
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