Derek Fisher

A truly amazing story last night even for those of you who aren't NBA fans:

Fisher had missed Game 1 to be with his wife and daughter for the procedure, flying from Salt Lake City on Monday afternoon for the procedure at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Fortunately, the surgery was successful -- so successful that Fisher, wife and baby all flew together back to Salt Lake City afterward. . . .

But since the surgery by noted specialist Dr. David Abramson didn't end until 4:15 p.m. ET, Fisher couldn't make it out west in time for the game's 9 p.m. ET start. He did his best though, hopping a charter flight to Salt Lake City and then getting a police escort on the short drive from the airport to Energy Solutions Arena. While his wife and daughter went home, Fisher changed, stretched and took to the court with 3:18 left in the third quarter.

He entered to a resounding ovation -- the loudest of the night in a generally loud arena -- and immediately checked into the game. It was just in the nick of time, too.

Starting point guard Deron Williams had just picked up his fourth foul, and the only other available ball-handler, speedy rookie Dee Brown, was at the hospital getting checked out after having his neck bent forward in a first-quarter collision with teammate Mehmet Okur.

Fisher then went on to make a series of key plays that helped seal an overtime win against the Warriors. Just astounding stuff, though one imagins Fisher's thoughts are, properly, still being dominated by his daughter.

Comments

That was an even more strange moment than Nash's bloody nose preventing him from playing the last minute. Just amazing. And then to make big plays down the stretch...

Posted by Al | May 10, 2007 10:29 AM

I clicked through and read the story just as Sufjan Stevens' "Chicago" started playing on KEXP. Fortuitous or disastrous timing, depending on one's perspective. The office definitely got a bit musty there for a bit.

Posted by jhupp | May 10, 2007 10:41 AM

That was pretty awesome. GS' foul shooting, on the other hand, was truly pitiful. That crap belongs in college ball.

Does anyone object to the use of the police escort?

Posted by JP | May 10, 2007 10:59 AM

What's the word on Dee Brown?

Posted by dbt | May 10, 2007 11:08 AM

That was pretty awesome. GS' foul shooting, on the other hand, was truly pitiful. That crap belongs in college ball.

Does anyone object to the use of the police escort?

Yes, yes, right, and yes.

Posted by Ziggy | May 10, 2007 11:31 AM

(why is it the "Remember personal info" checkmark never ever works for me?)

Object to the police escort? Darren had 4 freakin' fouls, man!

Posted by dbt | May 10, 2007 11:45 AM

The Fisher King has always been an underrated player, and his name will live forever in Laker lore as the man who sank the Spurs juggernaut in Game 5 in 2004. He disappeared for a couple of years, but it's good to see him leading another team deep into the NBA playoffs.

Posted by Steven Smith | May 10, 2007 11:47 AM

Re Dee Brown. According to the Utah Jazz website, neurological tests and x-rays are normal. (I.e., they're negative, which is positive.) So it looks like he'll be back.

(And the 2005 Illini will still have 40 percent of their team in the playoffs. So take that, Tarheels.)

Posted by Steve H. | May 10, 2007 1:08 PM

He disappeared for a couple of years

Yeah - disappeared to the Warriors and then came back to drive a nail into the coffin in overtime against them last night.

My kingdom for a free throw!

Posted by Tiparillo | May 10, 2007 1:09 PM

(And the 2005 Illini will still have 40 percent of their team in the playoffs. So take that, Tarheels.)

Whatever happened to Frank Williams by the way?

Posted by JP | May 10, 2007 2:39 PM

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2007 Sioux Falls Skyforce. Hee hee.

Posted by Steve | May 10, 2007 3:00 PM

That's so disappointing. I remember when he was a rookie for the Knicks, it actually looked like he might be a decent pro player. What happened?

Posted by Antid Oto | May 10, 2007 3:41 PM

It was interesting in that Fisher did not come in for Williams, he relplaced AK-47 who was dominating both ends of the floor at that point. Williams was already on the bench with 4 fouls, but only for a few seconds. I guess Sloan did not want to show up the third string point guard and immediatley pull him so he gave AK a breather. This clearly changed the momentum of the game and Golden State made a nice run to keep the game close.
For a while it looked like the storybook would have a sad ending but after warming up Fisher was in the middle of everything including making the play of the game by forcing Baron to step out of bounds when the Warriors had the lead and the ball in the last minute of regulation! I love this game!

Posted by phg | May 10, 2007 4:49 PM

"he relplaced AK-47 who was dominating both ends of the floor at that point"

AK running point, as he did for stretches since Williams had foul problems and Brown's neck had been snapped in two like a dry twig, was actually a bit of a disaster.

He was the reason that Utah was a turnover machine, he shot a lousy percentage, and notably, he had the worst +/- for the Jazz by far.

-----

Separately, Henry Abbot has a nice piece up about how John Paxson is an idiot for not swapping Deng for Gasol.

Posted by Petey | May 10, 2007 4:57 PM

I don't think they beat Detroit even with Gasol, which would have made it a bad trade. Of course, if they'd kept Tyson Chandler instead of paying an assload of money to Ben Wallace, they could have gone out and bought Gasol this summer.

Posted by Antid Oto | May 10, 2007 7:57 PM

"I don't think they beat Detroit even with Gasol, which would have made it a bad trade."

Meh.

They probably don't beat Detroit with Gasol this year, but they've got a far better shot. And importantly, they've got a better shot next year and the year after too.

Gasol would have been a centerpiece for years while the baby bulls matured around him.

(Not to mention that if the trade had made them a single game better in the regular season, they'd have been facing Detroit in the conference finals...)

"Of course, if they'd kept Tyson Chandler instead of paying an assload of money to Ben Wallace..."

No argument there. Chandler for Wallace is in the running for one of worst pseudo-transactions of the decade.

Posted by Petey | May 10, 2007 8:09 PM

And importantly, they've got a better shot next year and the year after too.

He's signed for three years? That changes things. I'd assumed the Grizzlies were shopping him because his contract was coming up.

Posted by Antid Oto | May 11, 2007 12:57 AM

"He's signed for three years?"

Signed through 2011 when he'll be 32.

The Bulls missed out on picking up the prime of a perfectly serviceable post scorer's career.

Posted by Petey | May 11, 2007 1:35 AM

MSN I NIIPET
MSN

Posted by Bill | June 12, 2007 1:41 PM

MSN I NIIPET
MSN

Posted by Bill | June 12, 2007 1:41 PM