Fisher misses big shot (and others)

Derek Fisher will forever own a spot in Lakers playoff lore with his “0.4” shot against San Antonio in 2004.

Five years later, however, he has lost his title as the Fisher king.

The 13-year veteran continued to struggle in the playoffs, missing eight of nine shots against the Denver Nuggets, including an airballed three-point attempt from the right side that would have tied the score as time expired.

Instead, the Nuggets won, 106-103, and tied the Western Conference finals at one game each.

Fisher came into Thursday’s game averaging 7.7 points in the playoffs while shooting 36.9% overall, 24.3% from three-point range.

He added to his postseason woes by scoring only three points Thursday, making one of five three-point attempts.

His last attempt came after Luke Walton started the play on an inbounds pass from the right side with 4.3 seconds left.

The Lakers chose not to get the ball to Kobe Bryant because they figured the Nuggets would have fouled him before he was able to attempt a shot. Two free throws wouldn’t have helped.

“I had a pretty good look at it,” Fisher said. “I figured they were going to try and foul to prevent us from shooting a three. I got rid of it a little quicker than I probably had to.”

‘Big Fish’

Phil Jackson wanted to honor Tex Winter, in his own way.

So the Lakers’ coach chose a movie of particular significance to splice into team video sessions, part of his custom of creating a distinct theme for every playoff series.

Jackson selected “Big Fish,” the story of a son who learns more about his dying father by delving into some of the colorful stories his father told him as a youth.

Winter, the longtime Lakers consultant, had a stroke last month and remains in a rehabilitation facility in Kansas City.

The players understood the implication of the movie.

Forward Lamar Odom said it was symbolic of Winter “spreading his wisdom.”

“Some do it through story-telling, some do it through coaching,” Odom said. “I call him ‘Uncle Tex.’ We’d love to see him, but obviously we can’t. He’s missed.”

Said Luke Walton: “We think about Tex all the time. He’s been a huge part of this organization in the six years I’ve been here and way before that too.

“Right now, we’re all just hoping the best for him. We know if he were here, he’d be going crazy right now behind the bench, talking trash to everybody as they came out. You kind of miss that.”

Fatigue factor

The Lakers barely had two days to recover for the start of the West finals while the Nuggets had six days between games, but the Lakers weren’t using it as an excuse.

To compensate, they have been practicing lightly, going through a video session and some shooting.

“We’re not putting them through much of a practice,” said Jackson, who pinned fatigue more on wins and losses than anything else. “If you lose a ballgame, you fret or you’re disturbed psychologically. . . . It makes sleep much more difficult.”

Using that logic, the Lakers would be the ones not sleeping well after Game 2.

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com