Derek Fisher

He knew it before you did, before you began to question the Lakers' obvious weakness, before you hit the message boards with mounting criticism of Derek Fisher. "I knew it before the season began," Fisher says, then mentioning Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom. "Where else is anyone going to point?" He's not scoring like he has, as the criticism goes, little help in reserve behind him, and the Lakers are vulnerable at point guard as the playoffs loom.

It's funny now, Chris Kaman getting ejected Friday night, telling Derek Fisher he'd be meeting him outside and Kobe Bryant asking, "What's Kaman going to do, shoot him with one of his bow and arrows?" But you know as well as Kaman does, Fisher just bugs you. There's just something about the guy, whether you're wearing the opponents' uniform and getting whistled for an offensive foul, or he's angering Lakers fans for being the team's weak link. So I wanted to know: "Is there an art to getting under people's skin?"

Derek Fisher has been struggling lately, sitting out the entire fourth quarter in three close games -- against Golden State, Sacramento and the Clippers. But Lakers Coach Phil Jackson isn't close to making a lineup change, preferring to stick with the 35-year-old instead of handing over the job to one of the 20-somethings, Shannon Brown or Jordan Farmar . In one breath, Jackson acknowledged the defensive shortcomings of the 14-year veteran. In the other breath, he stuck up for Fisher's steady hand on the court.

I'm a little out of sorts, what with not seeing all those letters from the folks who had been writing The Times and telling Phil Jackson and everyone in L.A. how Derek Fisher was washed up and "Doesn't Phil have enough sense to bench Fish?" Hmm? Do you think maybe Phil actually knows a little bit more about what constitutes talent in the NBA than all those armchair shooters? I'm laughing out loud at the greatly exaggerated demise of D-Fish and his detractors getting their comeuppance in the form of tenacious defense and swishing three-pointers.

Former Lakers point guard Derek Fisher, who has not played this season after failing to land a contract in the summer, will sign with the Dallas Mavericks, according to Coach Rick Carlisle. Carlisle made the announcement after a 101-78 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night. "We need help at point guard," Carlisle said. "I found out ... that [Darren] Collison would be out, and we were fortunate to get [Jared] Cunningham active. We feel [Fisher] can help us. It's not a cure-all to all of our team challenges, but his expertise and experience will help.

Reporting from Boston -- Paul Pierce was wrong. The Boston Celtics weren't going to win the NBA Finals amid a blizzard of green and white confetti … if at all. The Lakers made sure of it Tuesday with a pointed defensive declaration in Game 3, beating back Boston in a 91-84 victory with unlikely star Derek Fisher, a stunning reversal by Game 2 protagonist Ray Allen and, near the end, a rare smile from Kobe Bryant, as telling a...

-- NBA.com's Randy Renner reports former Lakers guard Derek Fisher is in Oklahoma City to finalize talks on a contract. The report also indicates Fisher was spotted at OKC's Will Rogers World Airport early this morning with Thunder GM Sam Presti and other members of the Thunder front office -- ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports Fisher is "very close" to signing a deal with the Thunder. - -The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry talks to Kevin Durant, who supports Fisher joining OKC. Game stories -- The Times' Mike Bresnahan explains how Andrew Bynum's ejection hurt the Lakers in their 107-104 loss Tuesday to the Houston Rockets.

All those Lakers fans who wanted Derek Fisher run out of town a few months back must be biting their tongues.… As Fisher keeps reminding us, there's a reason Phil Jackson is partial to iron-willed, battle-tested veterans.… Fisher, on the rush he gets when delivering in the clutch: "It's like being a kid, man; you just never get tired of that candy." … Sounds like Lamar Odom.… Kevin Garnett, who'd been derided by some as the Counterfeit Ticket, returned to his Big Ticket form in Game 3.… At this point, however, Pau Gasol is at least Garnett's equal.

The homecoming began with the national anthem. The fans couldn't even wait until it ended. "Derek!" and "Fish!" they shouted during the song, interrupting the L.A. Delta Chorale in mid-red-glare. It always sort of felt patriotic to cheer Derek Fisher, didn't it? It was certainly appropriate Thursday, his return to Staples Center becoming two hours' worth of bombs bursting in the air above a Lakers team that cowered beneath their former leader and his new teammates. Fish was back, just in time to remind the Lakers that they weren't.