Fisher, Lakers Still Pointed in Right Direction

The lineup change the Lakers could not avoid making nearly a month ago because of injury was replaced Wednesday night by the statement they could not avoid making.

Game after game of not wanting to call the standout performances of Derek Fisher a surprise, for fear it would come across as though they didn’t think he had it in him, finally gave way, falling like his jump shot has in recent weeks.

“I think amazing is a better word than surprising,” Coach Del Harris said.

That admission came after Fisher recorded the second double-double of his career, which also happened to be the second double-double in as many games, his 19 points and 10 assists without a turnover. Fisher also made consecutive three-point shots in the fourth quarter to turn a seven-point lead into a blowout and a 121-107 victory for the Lakers over the Portland Trail Blazers before 16,758 at the Great Western Forum.

Even Fisher had to admit it.

“If I was on the outside looking in, I’d probably say the same thing,” he said after the Lakers won their fourth in a row, as Shaquille O’Neal got 33 points and Elden Campbell contributed 11 points and 11 rebounds. “I’d say that he might have been capable of big games, but it is a surprise to see him having a big game night after night.”

As if the play of Fisher hadn’t been a big enough boost, this being the 12th consecutive game he had started at the point, the Lakers got another lift earlier in the day with the news that Nick Van Exel is progressing ahead of schedule after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery Feb. 26. In fact, after the Lakers first hoped that Van Exel could return to practice by early next week, the possibility now exists he could be playing before then.

The news came after tests Wednesday showed the right leg to be regaining strength. Just as importantly, he had no pain or swelling in the joint after going through a supervised workout the day before, the first increased activity since the operation to remove scar tissue and bone fragments.

So rather than wait several more days to give the knee a real test drive, Van Exel will take part in his first practice Friday, barring any unexpected setbacks. The Lakers were scheduled to be off, as is their routine on the day after a back-to-back, but, in what has become another custom, Coach Del Harris will organize a session for a player returning from injury. Four or five teammates will join in, with the intent of allowing the all-star point guard to run through plays, perhaps play three-on-three and try to get his timing back, while the medical staff looks on.

He is also expected to take part in a full practice Saturday in Vancouver. And if that goes well, he could be activated for the game the next afternoon against the Grizzlies. That would be just in time to make the Lakers two-deep again at the point with two games against the Seattle SuperSonics in the following five days.

Kobe Bryant? The backup by choice at times last season, including in the first-round playoff victory over the Trail Blazers, is now an option his coach would just as soon avoid there. It’s not only that Fisher has played well or that Harris is trying to help the struggling 19-year-old by allowing him to concentrate on shooting guard and small forward--Bryant got yanked in the second quarter Wednesday after compounding more forced shots with a bad pass.

The latter came when Harris tried to give Fisher, averaging 39.7 minutes the previous 11 games, a breather by going with Bryant for the start of the second quarter. The turnover sent Fisher back in after only 1:39 of Bryant at the point, giving him five minutes overall in the first half and 20 in the game.

But, just to prove he’s still Bryant in every way, he scored seven of the Lakers’ final 10 points of the third quarter, giving them a 93-85 lead. That included a baseline drive that became a twisting layin and a straightaway three-pointer at the buzzer, the biggest basket as he made four of 10 shots and finished with 13 points.

“Kobe looked like he was back on track tonight,” Harris said. “He did a lot of nice things out there. Maybe a missed defensive assignment or a forced shot, but it’s good to have him back in the flow.”