Already a championship level team coming out of last season’s playoff run, the Oklahoma City Thunder recognized a fit when Derek Fisher became available this spring and jumped at the chance to add Fish to their mix.
It’s been less than two months, and the addition of Derek has already paid big dividends for OKC.
Derek’s contributions off the bench helped OKC to a 4-0 sweep of Dallas (Getty Images).
The Thunder advanced to the second round of the playoffs on Saturday, vanquishing some demons from last postseason by defeating the defending champion Dallas Mavericks in a four-game sweep. During their run to the title last year, Dallas had defeated both Fish’s former team the Lakers and his current team the Thunder. Derek and the Thunder turned the tables in 2012, but D-Fish downplayed the connection after helping Oklahoma City complete the sweep.
"Obviously, circumstances have changed a great deal," he told the Dallas Morning News. "This is a different team. I’m in a totally different place from where I was last year. I think it’s just the bad and the good of sports."
But in helping to push OKC to the sweep with his veteran savvy and leadership, No. 37 made a believer out of Dallas coach Rick Carlisle, who said the Thunder give off a different vibe this season than they did in 2010-11.
"They have a certain look in their eye now," Carlisle said. "Not just that they belong, but that this could be their time. I’m sure the addition of Fisher has helped cultivate that a little bit."
Derek made the most of his second chance against the Mavericks. For the series, No. 37 shot 58.3 percent (14-of-24) from the field and 62.5 percent (5-of-8) from beyond the arc. He scored a grand total of 33 points, but the Thunder were +40 with him on the floor.
"It’s probably been written many, many times but the bottom line he’s a winner. The guy is just a winner, on and off the floor. He’s high character and he has toughness. He has everything you want from a player. As his coach, that’s what I love about him," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks told Fox Sports. "He brings everything that you want your players to bring, that is a professionalism, a consistent approach to work every day and a good teammate."
Derek’s four-game effort was capped by his best yet in Saturday’s finale. Fish played 30 minutes in OKC’s 103-97 victory, tallying 12 points on 5-of-6 from the field. He made both of his shots from deep and added three rebounds, an assist and a block. Most importantly, the Thunder were a whopping +21 with Fish on the floor during the six-point win.
"Derek made big shots. He had a great series," Brooks said.
Derek made the right plays during the Thunder’s sweep and helped off the court too (Getty Images).
In addition to his strong play on the court, Thunder players have raved all series about Derek’s off court demeanor and how much of a difference it has made for them. MVP candidate Kevin Durant shot 45 percent from the field for the series, racking up 26.5 points per game. After Game 3 he said that Fish has helped make a difference in his game.
"He’s been phenomenal for me, just a blessing to get to be on the same team with him. Every chance he gets, he always pulls me to side to tell me what he sees, what I need to do better and also tell me what I’m doing well," Durant said. "Every chance I get, I just go to him and ask him what I can do to improve on the next play, how I can be better the next quarter, the next half. He’s been helping me out."
Brooks believes it’s Derek’s work-ethic that has rubbed off on his teammates the most. He said that when other players see a 16-year veteran arriving early and staying late in the gym, it sends a message.
"He still has that passion, that enthusiasm for the game that once you get rid of that, you have no shot at being a player in this league," Brooks told Fox Sports. "Just to see him, his approach, he’s 37-years-old but he stays in the gym an hour after practice working on his shot, trying to figure out ways to improve. A lot of guys don’t do that at a young age let alone a guy that’s been in for 15 or 16 years and
[won] multiple championships.""I think when you have veteran guys that understand their role and they can still add to the team like Derek can, it helps. I don’t think it just necessarily helps Russell [Westbrook]. It helps Kevin [Durant]. It helps James [Harden]. It helps our other guys."
For Derek, the opportunity to join Oklahoma City and be a part of something he believes can be special has been a golden one. He’s thankful for teammates that have embraced him and another chance at his sixth ring.
"These guys are as humble and hungry and passionate about being successful as any group I’ve been with on a collective basis. They all just want to succeed and they want the next guy to succeed," he told HoopsWorld. "They’re like brothers and so it’s a special group and I’m glad I was able to join at such a late date and be apart of something that’s potentially very special."
NEXT UP
The Western Conference Semifinals could bring a date with Derek’s former team, the Los Angeles Lakers.The Lakers currently hold a 3-1 lead over the Denver Nuggets in their best-of-seven series, which continues on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. The Thunder await the winner of that series in the semifinals. Game 1 will be held at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City at a date and time to be announced.
RELATED STORIES
- Veteran Savvy of Fisher, Mohammed Plays Big Role for Thunder (OKCThunder.com, May 6, 2012)
- Derek Fisher’s playoff guts can only bring glory for Thunder (The Oklahoman, May 6, 2012)
- Fisher paying dividends on and off court (Fox Sports Southwest, May 4, 2012)
- Fisher continues to torment Mavericks (Dallas Morning News, May 5, 2012)
- Derek Fisher Leaving Imprint on Young Thunder (HoopsWorld, May 4, 2012)
- Fisher familiar with series sweeps (The Associated Press, May 5, 2012)