Utah Jazz: Fisher a major factor in second half despite foul trouble

Derek Fisher, thanks in large part to early foul trouble, was pretty much a non-factor for the first three-plus quarters of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals on Sunday afternoon at EnergySolutions Arena. Then the Los Angeles Lakers' point guard came up huge down the stretch in the fourth quarter as his team rallied to force his old team into overtime.

Alas, it wasn't quite enough for the Lakers, as the Utah Jazz evened the series with a 123-115 victory.

"It was a good effort, and we gave ourselves a chance to win the game," said Fisher. "On the road, sometimes that's all you can ask for."

The Jazz led by 12 points with less than four minutes to play when Fisher caught fire. He made a 3-pointer to cut the gap to nine with 3:59 to play. After a Carlos Boozer bucket for the Jazz, Fisher made another trey, and the Lakers trailed by eight with 3:25 left. Fisher then stole the ball from Boozer and followed it up by making a free throw after a Mehmet Okur technical foul with 2:54 remaining. By the time Fisher had completed a four-point trip down the floor with his third consecutive 3-pointer, Los Angeles trailed by just four points with 2:42 to play. He had scored 10 points in 1:17 in just three offensive possessions — and he had a steal to boot.

Fisher wasn't done, either. After the Lakers knotted the score 108-108 with 4.6 seconds left, Utah had one last chance to win the game in regulation. Instead, Fisher made the Lakers' defensive play of the game by blocking Deron Williams' shot at the buzzer.

But the Lakers ran out of steam in the overtime. Utah had opened up a seven-point lead by the time Fisher fouled out of the game with 15 points and 28.5 seconds remaining in the extra period.

"We seemed to be poised down the stretch (in regulation)," said Fisher. "But in the overtime we kind of, well, not really fell apart, but didn't keep up that same focus in terms of offensive execution."

Fisher, for the second-straight game, got into first-half foul trouble on the court where he helped the Jazz to the Western Conference finals a year ago. He picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter on Sunday, was forced to the bench and then added another quick foul in the second quarter.

"It bothered us both games," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson of Fisher's foul trouble.

Fisher played less than four minutes in the opening half without scoring a point, dishing out an assist or getting any other positive statistic.