It’s More Than Exhibition for Hometown Hero Fisher

Guard Derek Fisher received the key to his hometown of Little Rock, Ark., in absentia Monday, because the Lakers weren’t due to arrive until late in the night and Fisher’s parents were happy and available to accept in his place.

The real celebration, Fisher said as the Lakers broke camp at UC Santa Barbara and headed to the airport, will come in the new Alltel Arena tonight when the Lakers open their exhibition season before Fisher’s friends, family and fans against the Washington Wizards.

“That’s at the top of the list right now,” Fisher said when asked where playing with the Lakers before his friends and family ranks among his career moments.

“I mean, until we win that championship that we’re shooting for, I don’t think I’ll be able to put [the game in Little Rock] up against anything. It’ll be a special feeling.”

Fisher, who grew up and went to high school and college in Little Rock, said he stayed out of deciding who got tickets from him--letting his mother handle the chore--but said the number “easily” is in the hundreds.

Is he worried that, with the triangle offense to run and a new coach to impress, he might get over-emotional?

“I’ll go out and just sort of feel the flow and go with that,” said Fisher, who came out of Sunday’s scrimmage with tendinitis in his left knee but participated in Monday’s practice. “I won’t go out there and try to do too much or show off because I’m at home or whatever.

“Because the goal will be to win. And that’s what I’ll be there for.”

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Coach Phil Jackson said he wished he had another week of high-intensity practices before the start of the exhibition season, but after seven days and 12 workouts, he’s ready to see what the Lakers will do in games.

“I think they got an ear for what we were trying to say, they were willing, and I think sometimes they responded,” Jackson said. “And I think they have that determination as a group to try to become a better team and I think all those things are great.

“But now, when the contests actually begin, the conflict happens out there on the court, we’ll see how easy it is to stay with our new-found stuff and to forsake our old habits.”

Jackson said he planned to cut a few players after Monday’s last Santa Barbara practice, but decided to bring all 18 Lakers for the games at Little Rock and Wednesday at Kansas City, Mo., also against Washington.

Though Jackson said he likes to win exhibition games, he will play his main players about 20-25 minutes in the first two, comparing the substitution pattern to an NFL exhibition contest where the starters are pulled for much of the second half.

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A day later, Shaquille O’Neal took some extra free throws on the advice of his friend Glen Rice, but was not particularly in the mood to analyze his 0-for-7 free-throw performance during Sunday’s scrimmage.

Was he disappointed?

“Nope,” said O’Neal, who said earlier he has a goal of making 70% from the foul line. “I don’t know why you’re asking me these questions, you’re going to write whatever you want to write.”