Lakers’ unsung hero - SPORTING CHANCE by Joaquin M. Henson

Now that the Los Angeles Lakers are rolling to accomplish the inevitable in the National Basketball Association (NBA), skeptics like me are eating their words on a plate of humble pie.

Who would’ve thought the Lakers could barge into the Finals without dropping a single game in the playoffs? Not me. Before the season began, I predicted the Lakers wouldn’t repeat. I sold them short. I figured Kobe Bryant was too immature and Shaquille O’Neal too selfish to share the spotlight with a brash Michael Jordan wannabe. I thought coach Phil Jackson’s unconscionable ploy of muscling Jerry West out of a job would backfire.

For all of Jackson’s Zen beliefs and Sioux philosophies, I couldn’t respect him for leaving his long-time wife June to cavort with Lakers owner Jerry Buss’ daughter Jeanie – who just happens to be the club’s Executive Vice President of Business Operations.

And as if scripted, the Lakers looked vulnerable as the season progressed. Bryant and O’Neal feuded. Last year, the Lakers posted a 67-15 record. This year, they picked up loss No. 15 after only 42 games and leaned on an eight-game winning streak to finish the season at 56-26.

Jackson had huge headaches trying to pacify his troops. "I’ve had to be probably a little more firm than I’ve ever had to be as a coach in the last six years," said Jackson, quoted by Howard Beck in Pro Basketball Today. "I just felt that they weren’t disciplined enough." Beck reported that Jackson was forced to fine his players for everything from being late to failing to get back on defense – then he had to quintuple the penalties to get their attention.

The squabbling between Shaq and Kobe made headlines. O’Neal called Bryant selfish. Kobe said Shaq was out of shape and should stop worrying about scoring and concentrate instead on defense. Jackson joined in the verbal tussle and accused Bryant of sabotaging the triangle offense. Things got worse when Shaq sat out six games due to a strained right arch and Bryant was sidelined with an ankle sprain. The Isiah Rider saga dragged the Lakers deeper in the dirt. In the end, Jackson left Rider out of the team’s playoff roster.

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Then came the Lakers’ unlikely savior-Derek Fisher whom Jackson described as not a natural playmaker in his book More Than A Game. Fisher underwent foot surgery before training camp opened and missed five months before rejoining the team in a game against Boston last March 13. Fisher hit 26 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished out eight assists, and picked up six steals in 37 minutes as the Lakers tripped the Celtics, 112-107. Since Fisher’s return, the Lakers are 26–including an 11-0 mark in the playoffs. The Lakers haven’t lost since a 98-86 setback to New York last April 1.

"Everything that we lacked the first part of the season, he’s brought with him," said veteran guard Brian Shaw. "His toughness, his defensive prowess, he’s been knocking down the outside shot consistently and we just feed off of his energy."

Fisher broke out of his celebrated teammates’ shadow in the San Antonio clincher last Sunday. He fired 28 points–more than Shaq’s 26 and Kobe’s 24–in the Lakers’ 111-82 romp. In the playoffs, Fisher is averaging 15.1 points, five rebounds, and 3.5 assists. And he’s hitting 51 percent from three-point range.

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Of course, Fisher couldn’t be as productive without Shaq and Kobe. Jackson said his superstars matured this year and it’s showing in the playoffs.

"Maturation is what you learn from experience in life," said Jackson. "And Kobe did not have maturation, he wasn’t mature. . . but the maturity to understand that and deal with it and come back and play even better basketball is what I’m looking at Kobe right now, that really is impressive to me. Getting married, coming to the NBA, all these things are rapid progressions and experiences for a young man. But as long as you gain wisdom and understanding from the experiences, that’s what counts."

Last April, Bryant and 19-year-old Vanessa Laine were married in a small, private ceremony. They were engaged for a year. Jackson hinted that Bryant’s decision to marry Vanessa – after postponing the wedding once – was a sign of maturity.

As for Shaq, he really couldn’t care less with whom he’s playing – it’s the winning that counts. There’s talk that after this season, Jackson might trade Kobe – who isn’t a triangle fan – and bring in, you guessed it, Jordan plus Scottie Pippen from Portland.

It’s not sure if Jordan will come back but if he does, he’s not tied down to playing for Washington. A comeback will mean divesting his 10 percent interest in the Wizards anyway – so Jordan is free to choose the team to play for. Orlando is an interesting option with Tracy McGrady on the rise but how will Grant Hill react? Will Jordan bring along his caddy Charles Barkley? Jackson will likely make room for Sir Charles if Jordan moves to Tinseltown. But wait, that’s grist for another column.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are shooting for history in the Finals. No team has gone unbeaten in the playoffs so far. Philadelphia came close and wound up at 12-1 in 1982-83. So the betting isn’t whether the Lakers will beat Milwaukee or Philadephia in the Finals – it’s whether the Lakers will sweep or not.