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While watching the first game of the Celtics-Lakers game I heard the first of many ridiculous comments by Mark Jackson. Jackson, after seeing Derek Fisher outmuscle Rajon Rondo for a rebound that had bounced out beyond the free throw line, said that Fisher was an equal or greater pickup than Pau Gasol for Los Angeles.
Really!?! Fisher is the fourth or fifth scoring option on the floor. That means he sits in corner in the triangle offense waiting for Kobe, Pau, or Odom to pivot, ball fake, and throw a pass out to the him for a three once the perimeter defender come to help. I am not saying that he is not an upgrade over Smush Parker, but a better pickup than Gasol.
I understand that Jackson was just fulfilling his Bill Walton-role where everything is tremendous and every comment that is supposed to add insight from a former player is provocative. I also understand that Jackson, in, lieu of a coaching gig, is trying to emphasize the importance of hustle and role players, but let’s not be outrageous.
Gasol gives the Lakers a solid mid-range jump shot that clears up the lane for those cuts that are the real strength of Phil Jackson’s offense. He also gives solid post play with an excellent finish with his left hand, another big man with great vision, and the prerequisite white-fro that every team needs (Luke Walton previously provided that asset).
Whenever I hear sportscasters, most often former coaches, start with that whole high school coach all-we-need-is-effort spiel I role my eyes. The problem is that the speech gets its own rendition for every sport. Baseball analysts talk about that unheralded utility player who plays every position on the field and dives for every foul ball, or slams against the wall for every home run shot.
Guess what. That does not make for the fact that he struggles to hit .250 or .220 with runners in scoring position. That guy does not replace the 50 plus homeruns Alex Rodriguez is going to hit for the Yankees, the 100 plus runs Alfonso Soriano is going to drive in for the Cubs, or even the respect a player like David Wright gets from the three spot in the lineup for a struggling team like the Mets.
Those teams are all worse off without their star players. The Yankees, Cubs, Mets, and every other major league baseball team suffer when those players are not in the lineup. The Lakers are a worse team when Gasol is not on the floor. Mark Jackson is free sign Derek Fisher to whatever team he ends up coaching and make him the floor leader, but I bet he’ll start complaining about the lack of talent management has given him when all Fisher’s effort lead o the lottery.
I respect the effort by players like Fisher. I respect players who leave it all out on the floor. I understand that people think all NBA stars are lazy, but I also understand that those same people cannot, under any circumstances, jump from the free throw line, switch hands with the ball, turn 360 degrees, and dunk the ball. You want people to start realizing that the NBA is back? That the high scoring games are on their way? Then stop talking about the hustle play for three minutes after Fisher got the rebound and talk about that ally oop Bryant just threw to Gasol from half court.
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