Lakers' Derek Fisher, Jordan Farmar need to get to the point
LAKERS
Lakers' guards match up against quality point guards almost every night. So far results have been mixed. There's no letup this week, with Derrick Rose, Steve Nash and Chauncey Billups on the schedule.
Every game, it seems, Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar are under attack from the NBA's preeminent point guards.
Jason Kidd. Chris Paul. Allen Iverson. And, coming this week, Derrick Rose, Steve Nash and Chauncey Billups.
Fisher and Farmar, the Lakers' point guards, face a constant challenge to defend these guards.
In the Lakers' most recent game, a 106-95 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, Iverson hit them for 25 points on seven-for-12 shooting, and four assists.
The next challenge for Fisher, Farmar and the Lakers will be Tuesday night when they face Chicago Bulls rookie Rose, who is averaging 18.9 points and 5.6 assists.
"A lot of it defensively starts with us," Fisher said. "That was part of our frustration with losing the game Friday night, was defensively we really couldn't have the impact or didn't have the impact we wanted to against Iverson or [Rodney] Stuckey or some of the guards in Detroit.
"So now facing Chicago, we're going to see a lot of the same situations with Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon."
Rose, powerfully built at 6 feet 3 and 191 pounds, is adept at getting in the lane and creating shots for himself or teammates.
Fisher and Farmar will have their hands full.
"We're both capable players on the offensive end, but it's really going to come down to our ability to defend some of the better guards in the league," Fisher said. "We're fine with that and we always accept the challenge every night to lead our team offensively but most importantly defensively."
After Rose, the Lakers will play against Nash and the Suns on Thursday night in Phoenix and then face Billups and the Denver Nuggets on Friday night at Staples Center.
Billups, recently acquired in the trade that sent Iverson to Detroit, has led Denver to a 5-1 record since his arrival and is averaging 19.5 points and 6.4 assists.
But first up is Rose, the first overall pick in last summer's NBA draft out of Memphis.
"I think he's a playmaker, first and foremost," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said after practice Monday. "I think he's learning scoring in the NBA because we score so many points and it's really an open game. I think that's what he's going to find as he comes along this year. But, really, I think his playmaking, his teamwork and his capabilities of getting the ball to players is really what's an important aspect of his game."
Etc.
All of the Lakers' injured players -- Fisher (ribs), Sasha Vujacic (sprained right ankle) and Vladimir Radmanovic (left thigh contusion) -- said they will play Tuesday against the Bulls.
Turner is a Times staff writer.
broderick.turner@latimes.com
