Derek Fisher defends Steve Nash yesterday in Los Angeles. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press) |
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Derek Fisher knew the challenge ahead of him was a big one.
He was about to face Steve Nash, one of the top point guards in the NBA, a crafty veteran who has won two most valuable player awards.
Nash makes the Phoenix Suns offense go, and it was up to Fisher to find ways to defend him, to slow him down -- if it was at all possible.
Fisher deserves credit for preventing Nash from having another break-out game, doing just enough on defense against him to help the Lakers defeat the Suns, 121-102, on Thursday night at Staples Center.
"With Steve, you just try to make him work as hard as possible," Fisher said. "You know he is going to score some points and make some plays. I did tell the coaches that when he did give the ball up, there definitely would be times where I could keep him from getting it back. I felt like that would really impact their ability to execute."
Nash scored 13 points on five-for-10 shooting, including two for four from three-point range.
Nash had five assists, but he entered the game leading the NBA in assists with 12.6 per game. He also entered the game averaging 17.6 points per game.
At 35, Nash is not the young player he used to be.
He and the Suns were playing their seventh game in 10 nights in their seventh city.
So the idea was to keep the pressure on Nash, to try and wear him down.
There were times when Fisher picked up Nash full-court.
There were times when Fisher denied Nash the basketball after he made the initial pass.
"I just tried to mix it up on him," Fisher said. "We definitely talked about picking him up as high up the floor as we could. Sometimes it's difficult, depending on the situation."
Usually, the Lakers have a defensive plan in which they go over screens against point guards that are good shooters. Against point guards that are better at driving than shooting, the Lakers like to go under the screen.
But that doesn't always work with Nash, because he's adept at both shooting and passing.
"There's no science with guarding him," Fisher said. "I think you just have to try and keep him guessing, but he's so good even on the fly. He's like a Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. If you try and take one thing away, he'll audible and can go to something else. So if you're giving him a steady diet of one look, he's too smart and he's going to figure it out.
"So you try to mix it up, make him work hard and as much as you can, try and keep the ball out of his hands and at least make him work to advance the basketball."
Fisher got plenty of help on Nash from his big men.
Andrew Bynum, back after missing the last two games with a strained right elbow, jumped out on screens set for Nash, slowing him down.
Lamar Odom and Ron Artest did the same, all of them working as one to slow Nash down.
"We were active tonight," said Fisher, who also scored eight points, handed out four assists and had one steal. "Our big guys deserved a lot of credit. They were up and active and really making it hard for those guys to come off those screens."
broderick.turner@latimes.com
twitter.com/BA_Turner
He was about to face Steve Nash, one of the top point guards in the NBA, a crafty veteran who has won two most valuable player awards.
Nash makes the Phoenix Suns offense go, and it was up to Fisher to find ways to defend him, to slow him down -- if it was at all possible.
Fisher deserves credit for preventing Nash from having another break-out game, doing just enough on defense against him to help the Lakers defeat the Suns, 121-102, on Thursday night at Staples Center.
"With Steve, you just try to make him work as hard as possible," Fisher said. "You know he is going to score some points and make some plays. I did tell the coaches that when he did give the ball up, there definitely would be times where I could keep him from getting it back. I felt like that would really impact their ability to execute."
Nash scored 13 points on five-for-10 shooting, including two for four from three-point range.
Nash had five assists, but he entered the game leading the NBA in assists with 12.6 per game. He also entered the game averaging 17.6 points per game.
At 35, Nash is not the young player he used to be.
He and the Suns were playing their seventh game in 10 nights in their seventh city.
So the idea was to keep the pressure on Nash, to try and wear him down.
There were times when Fisher picked up Nash full-court.
There were times when Fisher denied Nash the basketball after he made the initial pass.
"I just tried to mix it up on him," Fisher said. "We definitely talked about picking him up as high up the floor as we could. Sometimes it's difficult, depending on the situation."
Usually, the Lakers have a defensive plan in which they go over screens against point guards that are good shooters. Against point guards that are better at driving than shooting, the Lakers like to go under the screen.
But that doesn't always work with Nash, because he's adept at both shooting and passing.
"There's no science with guarding him," Fisher said. "I think you just have to try and keep him guessing, but he's so good even on the fly. He's like a Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. If you try and take one thing away, he'll audible and can go to something else. So if you're giving him a steady diet of one look, he's too smart and he's going to figure it out.
"So you try to mix it up, make him work hard and as much as you can, try and keep the ball out of his hands and at least make him work to advance the basketball."
Fisher got plenty of help on Nash from his big men.
Andrew Bynum, back after missing the last two games with a strained right elbow, jumped out on screens set for Nash, slowing him down.
Lamar Odom and Ron Artest did the same, all of them working as one to slow Nash down.
"We were active tonight," said Fisher, who also scored eight points, handed out four assists and had one steal. "Our big guys deserved a lot of credit. They were up and active and really making it hard for those guys to come off those screens."
broderick.turner@latimes.com
twitter.com/BA_Turner
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