Lakers, Spurs: version 0.4

It’s only an early-season game, and yet, it’s also a brief reminder of history.

The Lakers and San Antonio Spurs meet tonight in San Antonio, with the Spurs off to a typically solid start, the Lakers trying to keep their heads above .500, and visions of 0.4 seconds built into the backdrop as Derek Fisher returns to San Antonio as a Laker for the first time since his famous heave in the 2004 Western Conference semifinals.

The Spurs and Lakers used to be combatants deep in the playoffs each year, but now they’re on opposite ends of the postseason seedings, with the Spurs trying to win their fifth championship in the last 10 seasons and the Lakers simply trying to get past the first round.

The Spurs’ cast of characters is familiar: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are the franchise favorites, Bruce Bowen is the lockdown defender once referred to as “Edward Scissorhands” by Lakers Coach Phil Jackson for his aggressive hands-on play, and Gregg Popovich is the gruff coach who compared the Lakers’ breakup in 2004 to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The current crop of Lakers? They’ll have to hear from Jackson, Fisher and Kobe Bryant about the five times the Lakers and Spurs met in the playoffs from 1999 to 2004. The Lakers won three times -- twice on the way to championships in 2001 and 2002 and again on the way to a Finals appearance in 2004.

Even in down years -- as in, first-round playoff exits -- the Lakers are known to bring an extra zing to their games at AT&T; Center, including a 98-93 victory in January that put them at 26-13, the high point of a 2006-07 season that became undone by injuries and a schedule back-loaded with road games.

“I know there’ll be some extra salt in the air because of the two teams,” Fisher said.

The only salt was in the Spurs’ wounds the last time the Lakers were there with Fisher. His fade-away 18-footer with 0.4 seconds left sent the Lakers to a stunning 74-73 victory over the Spurs in Game 5 of the 2004 West semifinals.

It became indelibly inked in Lakers lore, as foam “Fish Heads” were joyously snapped up by fans and “0.4” T-shirts quickly became standards at Staples Center kiosks.

The play also marked the last great stand of the Bryant-Shaquille O’Neal empire.

Fisher, understandably, remembers the finer parts of his shot.

“I just think of it being probably the greatest example in my lifetime of playing until the clock says zero, which is something that coaches in high school and grade school and boys’ clubs and girls’ clubs all around America try to teach kids -- to play until the end, and don’t give up,” Fisher said.

“I don’t really get overly excited about it or my chest doesn’t start to pump up when I think about it in terms of me doing something great. I kind of more think of it just as a great moment, kind of an example of never quitting or believing that you lost until the game is over.”

It sure looked over for the Lakers after Duncan staggered across the top of the key and ballooned a shot that went in with 0.9 seconds left, giving the Spurs a 73-72 lead and a probable 3-2 series lead.

Jackson remembered feeling undeterred.

“They had made some impossible shots,” he said. “I kept telling the team, ‘We’re going to find a way to win this game. This is the one we’ve got to win.’ ”

Then it happened.

The Lakers called a timeout, and then another timeout after seeing how the Spurs would defend the inbounds pass. Then the Spurs called a timeout.

“On the third timeout, we were just [thinking] they were going to follow Kobe,” Jackson said. “We’ve got to find the right person and [Gary] Payton did, and that was the open guy in that situation.”

The Spurs immediately filed a protest with the league, saying the clock started too late and Fisher’s shot shouldn’t have counted, but the call was upheld.

After the series ended with a Lakers victory in Game 6 in Los Angeles, even Popovich admitted the shot haunted him.

“I think about it 97 times a day,” he said at the time. “If I said I didn’t think about it, I’d be lying.”

Fisher, 33, left the Lakers in July 2004 to sign a free-agent contract with Golden State and was traded to Utah before the 2006-07 season. He re-signed with the Lakers in July for three years and is averaging 14 points and 3.8 assists in five games this season.

The 0.4 moment won’t be lost on him, ever, although he wished one other thing.

“In all probability, we were supposed to lose that game,” he said, smiling. “The only thing that has spoiled it for me over the years is the fact that we didn’t go on to win the title. That would have made it even more special.”

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

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TONIGHT’S GAME

Lakers at San Antonio

5:30 PST, Channel 9