Utah Jazz: Fisher still fond of his only season as a Jazz player

Derek Fisher may no longer be a fan favorite in Salt Lake City. He even gets booed now with some regularity by Utah Jazz fans at EnergySolutions Arena.

Still, Fisher looks back fondly at his lone season in a Jazz uniform.

Two years ago Fisher was a veteran leader on a young Utah Jazz club that surprised the NBA by making it all the way to the Western Conference finals. It was a memorable time in more ways than one for Fisher, who is now the starting point guard for the conference-favorite Lakers.

For Fisher, who scored seven points on Thursday night during the Lakers' 88-86 loss to the Jazz, the 2006-07season in Utah was meant to be. A point guard for most of his 13-year NBA career, Fisher spent that campaign as an undersize starting shooting guard alongside a young, up-and-coming star named Deron Williams.

"We had some success that season that not a lot of people anticipated," said Fisher of his year with the Jazz. "Deron was in his second year. (Carlos) Boozer was a couple of years younger and we had a team that nobody knew what to expect coming in. It was refreshing to be a part of that team because we learned that if we could go out there and play as a unit, good things would happen."

Utah rallied from a 2-0 deficit to a first-round playoff victory over Houston in '07. The Jazz then downed the Golden State Warriors, 4-1, to advance to the conference finals. San Antonio ended Utah's Cinderella-like dreams, but it was a period Fisher will never forget.

"It was a good experience," Fisher said Thursday of his time in Salt Lake City.

He said despite the fact he was going through an extremely emotional family crisis at the same time Utah was making its playoff run.

It's been well documented that Fisher's baby daughter, Tatum, had been diagnosed with a rare eye cancer called retinoblastoma just prior to the playoffs. Twice on game days during the playoffs Fisher flew with his family to New York for treatments.

Fisher missed one playoff game altogether and famously arrived at what was then known at the Delta Center after Game 2 against the Warriors had already started. In true Hollywood style, he hit a huge 3-point shot late that helped the Jazz win.

Two years later, Fisher is still profoundly grateful for the way the Jazz — general manager Kevin O'Connor and team owner Larry H. Miller, in particular — allowed him to do what he needed to do during that trying period.