NBA

WATCH: Derek Fisher Cries In Interview

It’s just Derek being Derek.

That was how Kobe Bryant described Derek Fisher’s performance last night–a performance that included 11 4th-quarter points and, with Kobe struggling to score for the majority of the 4th, the driving force behind the Lakers’ 91-84 Game 3 victory.

(Side note: Even though Derek Fisher continues to thrive on the big stage–the .4 shot against San Antonio, the 3 against Orlando last year in Jameer Nelson’s “face”, the 11 points last night–I am convinced that during that 4th quarter, everyone watching the game, including Kobe, was wondering, Why the hell is Derek Fisher shooting right now? and, moreover, that every Lakers fan was simultaneously having a heart attack.  And yet, despite Fisher’s track record, those were the only appropriate reactions. Amazing.)

It was the type of big time playoff performance that has become characteristic of Derek Fisher, but, yet, that didn’t stop him from getting a little caught up in the moment after the game.  If you watched his post-game interview with Doris Burke last night, you probably saw what we saw: A consummate professional.  A consummate teammate.  And a man who clearly never takes for granted that which we all wish we could do.

A man who appreciates every moment of it.

Oh, and, yea, you probably saw the crying too. But if you’re going to cry after a game, we recommend that you do it in the following fashion:

That sure beats the way that Fisher’s teammate Adam Morrison went about crying while at Gonzaga (Wait, Adam Morrison is on the Lakers??? He’s still in the league? Get out of here, Helene. No way. Yup, he’s the dude in the brown sport jacket and jeans on the Laker bench. He also has one more ring than Patrick Ewing. And as many rings as Kevin Garnett. Not making this up.)

Okay, sure, we concede that, at the end of the day, this ranks pretty highly on Bill Simmons’ unintentional comedy scale. But in a world of me-first athletes, when one of them genuinely professes that nothing means more to him than helping his team win, a moment that refreshing deserves praise.

Expect a lot to be made both of this interview and of Fisher’s performance over the next few days. They add to Fisher’s strong reputation as a person. They add to his growing reputation as a clutch player. And they both make for a great story. At least, that’s what that new upward-pointing green arrow in his player profile would indicate.