Fisher Gradually Regaining His Form

Since his typical flashy reentry, Derek Fisher has spent the last two weeks seeking comfort with his surgically-repaired right foot, and appears to be gradually uncovering the game that helped prod the Lakers to last season’s championship.

He is five months out of surgery. Last season, after the same surgery, recovery required six. So, he’s patient, taking the two for 11s (Nov. 27 against Milwaukee) with the five for eights (three nights later at Seattle), and hoping the abandon with which he played last season comes quickly.

“I’m still moving forward,” he said.

Through six games, he is averaging 10.2 points and 2.0 assists, and has committed only five turnovers in 150 minutes.

It is possible Fisher is dealing with the psychological effects of two similar breaks in less than a year, and the vulnerability that implies.

“There could be mental scar tissue,” Laker Coach Phil Jackson said, “as well as physical scar tissue.”

Jackson has platooned Fisher with veteran Lindsey Hunter, the steady Fisher getting the second quarter and critical fourth. It allowed him to work Fisher into games slowly, and to keep Hunter sharp and involved. When Hunter failed to find his shooting range Friday in Sacramento, however, Fisher played a season-high 30 minutes, and Hunter a season-low 18.

After missing his first eight field-goal attempts, Fisher found his touch, but too late. He made three of his last four shots, all from the three-point arc, in the Lakers’ 97-91 loss.

In the meantime, he said, it feels odd that parts of his game are unavailable to him.

“Game by game, I’m feeling better,” Fisher said. “I’m pleased with that, but I’m definitely still working my way back.”

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Jerry West disputed reports that he is ready to come out of retirement and that he could become an executive for the Atlanta Hawks.

West, 63, retired 11/2 years ago, after building the team that won NBA titles the last two seasons. He dabbles in consulting, and in October attended Laker training camp.

Even in that, West keeps a low profile, and Sunday afternoon he vigorously denied he was poised to return to the game.