HOUSTON Derek Fisher's wisdom still wafted through the air Friday night.
It was all around Jordan Farmar as he prepared for the bounce-back game of his NBA career, focused on Fisher-like priorities of solidity that Farmar cited as: "Take care of the ball, give people good looks and take care of the tempo."
After winning without suspended Fisher, Farmar left the Lakers locker room, stopping to grab a Coke but already having the smile. But just before he left, I offered Farmar a reminder of something Fisher said before the postseason began when Farmar was in total spiral.
"The guys who separate themselves are the ones who are able to take what appear to be difficulties or setbacks at one point and stay prepared, keep working and just at the right time just when everybody's ready to start shoveling the dirt on show up big and come through for yourself and for your team. I think that's what it takes."
That's what Fisher said when I asked him three weeks ago for some perspective on Farmar, once clearly projected by everyone including Fisher to be Fisher's immediate successor as the Lakers' primary lead guard. But Farmar struggled this season, then Shannon Brown showed up and showed serious stuff, and it got to a point where Farmar didn't even play in the previous two playoff games against Utah.
When Fisher was ejected for smashing into Houston's Luis Scola, Farmar came into Game 3 and was able to get the Lakers to the finish line with a big lead in the comforts of home.
What Farmar did on the road in Game 4 was much more impressive. Besides holding Aaron Brooks to seven points, one assist and three turnovers, Farmar piled up 12 points, five rebounds, two steals and one block to go with seven assists against one turnover a game-control ratio Farmar had not come close to reaching all season.
"Just when everybody's ready to start shoveling the dirt on show up big and come through for yourself and for your team."
Defining moments don't come along every day. For Farmar, the moments of every day leading up to this had been so inglorious that it was almost clichι.
"All these little sayings that I've always heard my whole life, and you see yourself in the situation, and you realize why people say that to you in the first place," Farmar said.
"I was just trying to stay positive and really be a team guy and support my teammates, who have been playing great basketball, and be a part of this organization and this team that is making a championship run. It's important.
"I told (Coach) Phil (Jackson) once the playoffs started, once my minutes were fluctuating, that no matter what he needed whether it was five minutes or 20 minutes or whatever it was, I was going to be there and be supportive and be about whatever decisions he made. And I was at peace with it."
Even before the game Friday night, Jackson praised Farmar's ongoing work ethic, but there's no doubt Farmar's hard-headedness along this way has also been a source of frustration to the coach.
"I can only hope he's learning minutes are not something given to you," Jackson said. "They are something you earn. He's got to produce."
Now that Farmar has produced, he is well aware that everything has not changed as seen in Jackson saying Farmar has earned more minutes only "if I see there's a need."
"It's not over; it's never over," Farmar said. "It's always what's going to happen next. I had a good game. Now what's going to happen tomorrow."
What's happening tomorrow is Fisher coming back to his usual starting job, albeit with a great appreciation Farmar providing a context in which Fisher's overzealously violent act against Scola looks like an even greater statement now that it did not cost the Lakers a single thing.
Fisher also comes back with his own heightened awareness that minutes are not something given to you, because clearly Farmar (and Brown, who hit every shot he took in scoring eight points in 15 minutes) can play. With an eye toward possible retirement in two years and set to turn 35 this offseason, Fisher already sort of knew that, though.
If he starts looking too small for Chauncey Billups or too slow for Mo Williams, Fisher will hear about it, too. They'll start shoveling the dirt on him, and it'll be Fisher's turn to find inspiration in his words that Farmar just proved so true.
Re: Jordan Farmar's Play against Houston - Do you start him?
After today I think starting farm might be a pretty good idea in game 5. I do not want to be a panicking patty. But... I dunno. If LO misses game 5 that might be 1 more change in the starting 5 than we want.
Re: Jordan Farmar's Play against Houston - Do you start him?
Please start Farmar.... we need to push the ball and get some momentum
going before the second string comes in. I also think Fish is an incredible
backup PG. He comes in and can lock someone down....and provide
some stability/experience to the second unit.
EDIT: I take it back.... Don't start Farmar..... Game 6: 21 minutes and no assists.
That's not the PG I thought he was.....
Last edited by magicmanfan : 05-15-2009 at 08:53 AM.
Article: OC Register - Farmar does Fisher proud
