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NBA FINALS: CELTIC v LAKERS

June 17, 2010

Derek Fisher

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Game Seven

Boston Celtics 79
Los Angeles Lakers 83

Q. You've been known to hit big shots. You hit the shot against Tim Duncan and the Spurs one year. Was this shot that you hit in the fourth quarter sweeter than that shot?
DEREK FISHER: Yeah, no question. I've said before that that shot in 2004, although it helped us win that game and that series, we didn't win a championship that year, and 2004 is still just a bad year to remember for me in terms of us not finishing the season as champions. To hit a shot and play a part in the game that helps win a championship means more to me than anything.

Q. How special has Pau Gasol been? It's tough to put into words, but down the stretch tonight he was making play after play - the block on Pierce, that lay-up to put you up six, a minute and a half to go. Can you talk about Pau.
DEREK FISHER: Yeah, you think about what we've accomplished since he's come to this team, I mean, I don't know if you can think of another player in the last five, six years that changed teams and literally had that kind of impact. I know we obviously have a lot of other great players, but his skill sets and his ability to play the game, you know, all the way around, shooting, passing, ball handling, length, size, you know, he just settled himself down in that fourth quarter tonight and came up big for us.

Q. Two years ago after losing by 39, the mantra of the Lakers was defense, and that's how you got the title last year. Can you talk about how specifically on display that was in a game against the Celtics tonight where the offense was really, really struggling, how defense has really become what the team is about?
DEREK FISHER: Well, you know, we learned from the disappointment and the frustration and the anger that came from losing that series that year, and we knew and understood from that point forward if we wanted to be champions that we can talk about the triangle offense and talk about executing better all we want to, but if we don't defend and rebound, then we can forget winning championships.
You know, it's only fitting that in a game where we couldn't throw the ball in the ocean, no matter how big it is, that we figured out a way to get some stops when we had to. I mean, to win a 70-point game basically to win the title is probably atypical of any Laker team in recent memory. It's special.

Q. The shooting was at about 25 to 35 percent the whole game. When the team is that tight offensively can Phil do anything to loosen you up?
DEREK FISHER: I don't know. I mean, he kept telling us to relax and just play your game, but it's tough to put into words, I think, the feelings that you have about playing in a game like tonight and just what it means and what it represents. You know, you want it so badly, and when you want something so bad, sometimes you try too hard or you try to get there too fast. You know, I think we kept trying to win the game before the end of the game, and finally in that fourth quarter, I just think because sometimes in life when you recognize that I can't do any worse than what I've done, especially like with the US Open going on right now, sometimes you hit a shot and it's just like, I can't hit the ball any worse than that, let me just relax and take a nice easy swing the next time. I think in the fourth quarter we just took it nice and easy and it started to come better for us.

Q. It seemed like you hit a couple of key shots that loosened things up. Do you feel like that's what happened?
DEREK FISHER: Yeah, I do feel like when you're on a team and you do certain things that maybe work out for you, it gives the team some confidence that, all right, we've seen the ball go through the basket, somebody can make one, so maybe I can make the next one. I think that's what started to happen on the free-throw line, as well. We had a couple guys step up, make some free throws, then Pau was able to step up make his, Kobe made his, Sasha's free throws down the stretch. There are things that are contagious or infectious in terms of seeing that ball go through the basket. I'm glad I was able to knock down a couple for us in that second half.

Q. Did you know in the back of your mind that you would come up big in the seventh game with a three-point shot?
DEREK FISHER: Yeah, not necessarily when or how, but you know, every game I step into, I guess I'm always in a mental space of being ready to make a play or do whatever needs to be done at any point. Because I've been so fortunate to be on so many great teams that have been in this position before. You have to be in The Finals seven times before you can make big plays in The Finals. If you don't make it to The Finals, then there's no big plays to be made.
I just feel very fortunate that I'm in the position to make something happen good for my team, and I don't think there is much that feels any better outside of just your family and your loved ones. There's just nothing better as a pro to make big plays down the stretch to help your team win.

Q. Can you talk about how surprised you were about Kobe's struggles offensively in the first half and into the third quarter, and what you said to him when you had your arm around him between quarters?
DEREK FISHER: I mean, when you shoot the ball with the volume that Kobe does, there are going to be periods where everything is going in and maybe sometimes where it's not, and I don't remember a lot of necessarily easy shots that he was getting throughout the game, either. He was having to take some difficult shots with two guys hanging off of him.
You know, not so much surprised by his struggles, but basically what I was just trying to talk to him about was just that he was playing a little too fast. He was going and he was seeing things that he wanted to do, but it was like he was a step and a half too quick to get there, and he's so good at foot work and setting guys up and getting guys leaning one way and spinning out and going the other way, and he was going too fast before the guys could even go for the move.
You know, he just had to slow himself down, and I think getting to the free-throw line also in that fourth quarter was really big for him, to see the ball go through the basket.

Q. I think it was exactly two years ago tonight that you guys lost by 39 in the Garden to the Celtics --
DEREK FISHER: You're going to bring that up tonight, huh?

Q. Well, I'm wondering, how much did you guys talk about that and how much did you think about it on your way to these last two titles?
DEREK FISHER: We haven't stopped thinking about it. I mean, I think great accomplishments come out of negativity, setbacks, adversity. You know, there are times where you have to be down in order to go back up, and that was a down, low moment for us. And I think since that moment, there's been a greater appreciation for what it takes to be the best and the sacrifice that is required, and the last two seasons there hasn't been anybody better at it than us. From October to June 17th, we've been the best team in the NBA at doing whatever it takes to win a title.
You know, I just think that says a lot about our team because we largely have a lot of the same guys, and that says a lot about your character when things -- there couldn't have been a more embarrassing loss to have in front of the whole world than that night, and the last two seasons we've tried our best to erase that. Although we never will, but winning two championships definitely helps.

Q. Five championships in a Laker uniform, Kareem, Magic, Cooper, Kobe and Fisher. What does that mean?
DEREK FISHER: I don't know, man. I really -- it's hard to think about and it's hard to even fully understand for myself. I think it speaks to the fact that life doesn't always go according to maybe what you think the way life is going to go. Growing up in Little Rock, I never envisioned being in this position five times. You know, I dreamt about playing college basketball at a big-time level but never really fantasized about the NBA every day. I loved watching Magic, but I never saw myself being in Magic's shoes, being in his position.
You know, to be sitting here now after five championships is quite humbling, it's surreal. I'm thankful. That's the best way to put it.

Q. We always ask Kobe certain questions about his greatness, his achievements. You've been as close to him I think as any other player. Is it unfair -- I'm not trying to say he is the greatest player ever, but is it fair at this point to put him in the conversation of being the greatest player possibly ever?
DEREK FISHER: I mean, I think the fact that there's even a conversation to have says a lot. I think he answered it best in an interview that he did I think last year. He sat down with Magic in one of these one-on-one things. I think Kobe kind of said it best where I think it does a disservice to the game when you try and single out one guy and say he was possibly the best ever. I know we like to say Michael Jordan for a lot of people was clearly the best player ever. A lot of people feel like Bill Russell is in that conversation. You know, Kobe, Magic, there are a lot of names that come up, and I think it just takes away from how difficult it was for every one of those guys at the stage in their lives and where they were. I mean, to think about what Bill Russell had to go through to then still have to focus and -- not a question.

Q. But does he belong in the conversation?
DEREK FISHER: Does he belong in the conversation? For sure. There's no hesitation there. He belongs in the conversation. The most interesting part about the conversation is that he's not really close to being done. You know, that's the interesting part about the conversation is that he's already in it and there's still some room before he gets to that ceiling. There will be a lot more to talk about there.

Q. We always talk about your daughter. Was she here tonight? Was she old enough to be aware of your accomplishments yet?
DEREK FISHER: No, she was not here tonight, just for personal and safety reasons. We anticipated it would be a little bit crazy in here tonight, and the last time we won a championship here, we were stuck in the building until, I think, 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning. Her bedtime is much earlier than that.
But you know, she's not aware of the magnitude of what all this means, but she knows what daddy is up to. You know, she's really the reason why I'm sitting here, and I owe her a lot. She's going to definitely get some cake and cookies this weekend for sure.

End of FastScripts

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