NBA FINALS: PISTONS v LAKERS

June 10, 2004

Derek Fisher

DEREK FISHER: I mean, you definitely have to give them credit for defending the way they are. It's very obvious that we are having a more difficult time than we'd like to in terms of scoring. But, at the same time, we have to take away some credit from ourselves, in terms of executing the way that we practice every day. I don't think they are making it as difficult to do things as we'd like to. I just think that we are not holding to our principals offensively. We're getting the ball inside to Shaq at times, but once the ball comes back out, whether it's to swing the ball or then to dump it back inside to him or attack our penetration, instead of just settling for jumpers, there are a number of different things we can do. But you do have to give Detroit credit for the way they are playing on the defensive end.

DEREK FISHER: Well, that's been their two guys all year, even in this post-season. You know, they are very good basketball players. Most of the sets and the things that they do are run for them, so they are going to score points. But it's a matter of us making them work harder to score points and get into places they would like to get to. I think we did a better job of that, definitely against Hamilton in the first couple of games. But even Chauncey in the second game, you know, if not for as many free throws as he shot, we would have done a decent job on him as well. In terms of their backcourt scoring points, that's what their team is designed to do, and the other guys come in and play hard and bang and get rebounds and set picks and do other things. Same way for us. Kobe and Shaq are basically going to always lead us in scoring. That's what we are designed to do and that's how we play the game. I think we have to make them work a lot harder to do some things and hopefully we can take a look at some film and see what adjustments we can make and come back and give a better effort on Sunday.