Pat Riley

Derek Fisher and the Lakers have reached an impasse in contract negotiations, and the free-agent guard has flown to Miami to meet with Heat President Pat Riley on Saturday to see whether a deal can be reached to Fisher's liking. Fisher departed Los Angeles on Friday for Miami, said a source close to Fisher who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, because he wants to play for a team that has a shot at winning the NBA championship. The source said Fisher would like to remain with the Lakers and that negotiations are amicable, but that Fisher wants to explore his options, especially now that Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh have joined forces on a Heat team some consider one of the favorites to win the NBA title.

Phil Jackson smiles and shrugs. This is fun to him, a bit of gamesmanship, equal parts psychology and satire. If Thursday night was NBA Commissioner David Stern's time to lobby against coaches who criticize referees, Friday afternoon was Jackson's time to respond to the NBA's recent rash of fines, $70,000 of which have been aimed at him this month. Jackson acknowledges there are mind games, he also understands that referees are human beings too, and he can't quite help himself when it comes to ribbing people, even if it happens to be the most powerful man in pro basketball.

Reaching the finals Since World War II, Phil Jackson has won more titles than any pro coach of a major sports league in the U.S. The Lakers' head coach is also close to matching another coaching record — reaching the most finals in his sport. Coach; teams in finals; finals record; league; teams. Scotty Bowman; 13; 9-4; NHL; Blues, Canadiens, Penguins, Red Wings, 1968-2002. Phil Jackson; 12; 10-2; NBA; Bulls, Lakers, 1991-present. Red Auerbach; 11; 9-2, NBA, Capitols, Celtics, 1949-1966.

The way this town embraces Phil Jackson is the way Pau Gasol embraced him last week after Jackson became the winningest coach in Lakers history. It was like he really wanted to, but he sort of couldn't. Does that make sense? Did you see it? Rich in symbolism, scarce in emotion, the scene was at once fascinating and unsettling. Immediately after the Lakers' victory over the Charlotte Bobcats, Gasol walked excitedly toward Jackson, then just stopped short. He tentatively stuck out his hand, Jackson tentatively grabbed it, then the two men briefly and awkwardly and barely embraced.

Peyton Manning spends too much time indoors. . . . When Manning and the Indianapolis Colts take on Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, each team will be playing outdoors for only the seventh time this season. . . . The Colts and Saints play home games in domed stadiums, of course, but both won at Miami during the regular season. . . . Oddsmakers, expecting a shootout between two of the NFL's most prolific offenses, have set the over-under line at 56 points, the highest in Super Bowl history.

The Boston Celtics may be struggling, but the Lakers still know they will face a team today that will play physical basketball and play defense. The Lakers have won three consecutive games and have the second-best record in the NBA at 36-11. The Celtics have lost two in a row and have the third-best record in the Eastern Conference at 29-15. None of that matters when these two rivals play each other. "We have to meet the style of play that's going to be played against us, it's as simple as that," said Lakers Coach Phil Jackson , who can tie Pat Riley for the franchise's all-time wins record at 533 with a victory today.

The smile is back on his face, the sparkle is back in his eyes and, most important, the bounce is back in his step. Nearly eight months after Andrew Bynum suffered a major injury to his left knee, less than four months after undergoing arthroscopic surgery, 2 1/2 months after finishing his rehabilitation in New York and after six weeks of vigorous training in Atlanta, he declared himself fit to return and eager to proceed. "Everything's ready to go. I'm 100%," the 20-year-old Lakers center said Friday at the team's El Segundo training center.

The image of polished perfection has made it to Springfield, Mass. On one hand, that makes Pat Riley profoundly proud. Because it's as if his father is going to the Basketball Hall of Fame with him tonight. "My dad was dashing," he says of the late Lee Riley. "One thing he always did, was he had those wonderful Clark Gable-type suits on, and bright red ties and starched shirts. He had a lot of style to him." But on the other hand, the portrait of Pat Riley presented over 24 seasons as an NBA head coach also is a distortion.

Since it now appears Jerry Buss would like Mitch Kupchak to share credit for the Pau Gasol trade [April 28], how about having Jerry share some credit for obtaining Kwame Brown? Or Smush Parker? Or Vlad Radmanovic? Or is that not in the management handbook? Will Wennerberg Los Angeles According to Steve Springer's article, Jim Buss equally drafted Andrew Bynum, while Jerry Buss initiated the trade with Memphis and all Mitch had to do was make the call. What has Mitch done that he deserves an "A" from Kobe?