Lakers Win Big One, May Lose Bigger One

Derek Fisher scored 20 points Wednesday night, a season high and only one away from his career best. He hit the biggest shot of the game, a 21-footer with 59.4 seconds left, to seal the Lakers’ 96-89 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Market Square Arena.

The shot came near the end of the 44 minutes that tied the career high set a week earlier. He also had six assists against two turnovers.

So don’t panic.

At least not yet.

Hours after the Lakers learned they would likely be without Nick Van Exel for an extended period, after the all-star point guard decided to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee today, the new starter carried commendably. A frenetic game as a calming influence.

“We already knew what he could do,” said Eddie Jones, the other starting guard. “He just went out and gave us more to see.”

Added Coach Del Harris: “Derek has assumed this would be his job for a while. We did not really think Nick would be back soon, even though we didn’t say it. As soon as Derek knew that as a fact, he could have had one of two reactions: be nervous and frightened or give a peak performance. I’d have to say this was a peak performance.”

He would have to say more.

“If you could frame this one, make it a picture, he’d hang it in the living room,” Harris said.

He’d hang it in front of the house, more likely. Fisher-as-starter is sure to be the new flag waving by those predicting the immediate demise of the Lakers, and the long-term one depending on the length of Van Exel’s absence. Kind of like it was about a year ago when injuries sidelined both Shaquille O’Neal and Robert Horry.

Now it comes anew in the person of a second-year player averaging 17.6 minutes a game and shooting 42.9%, a 6 foot 1, 200-pounder who won’t have the burden of carrying the team, but of another similar problem. Carrying on.

“There won’t be any excuses,” Fisher said. “There won’t be ‘I’m young’ or ‘This is my first time doing it.’ I expect to go out and get the job done.

“They’re definitely going to look at what I’m doing--what Nick did compared to what I’m doing. And if things are not going well, they may say, ‘He’s the problem, they’re missing the leadership, that guy has only started eight games in his career.’ Those things may come out. But that’s part of NBA basketball.”

The part Wednesday was about beating the team that came in with the third-best winning percentage in the league, on the second night of back-to-back games at that. It came after the Lakers lost most of an 18-point lead from the second quarter, but it also came largely because of Fisher.

Jones also had 20 points and, with help from Kobe Bryant, held Reggie Miller to four-of-17 shooting, and Shaquille O’Neal had a game-high 24 points, along with nine rebounds and four blocked shots. But all this got the Lakers was a predicament--the Pacers down only, 90-86, as the final minute approached.

The last thing the Lakers needed was a refresher on disappointment. Of the Lakers’ last four losses, after all, one came in overtime and two others were by two points each.

Not only that, but the Lakers had failed to score in the six possessions before Fisher got the ball on the left side, just in front of the three-point line. When he scored, giving him seven makes in 10 tries, the Pacers were done for good.

“Anytime that I can play a game like I played tonight, it can only show my coaching staff, my teammates, the organization that I can get the job done. It’s that simple.”

All he’ll need to do now is maintain something close to the same level of play, if not the statistics. Van Exel could be out a while, meaning Fisher must carry a heavy load. It’s that simple.