Larry Brown Sports

Well, that’s one way to play defense.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen was on the bench for a breather during the third quarter of Game 5 between the Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder, but that didn’t stop him from trying to defend his opponents. As Derek Fisher was spotting up for an open 3-pointer, Allen threw a shirt onto the court (or it slipped out while he was waving his shirt). Though Fisher missed the shot, the referees gave OKC credit for the basket because of Allen’s interference. Allen also got a technical foul for the shirt throw. Kevin Durant made the foul shot to give the Thunder a 4-point play, making the score 60-53 Memphis.

Here’s a look at the shirt throw in GIF form:

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Derek Fisher was booed in his first game back in Dallas since signing with the Oklahoma City Thunder last month.

The Associated Press says Fisher was booed by Mavs fans when he entered Sunday’s game with 1:45 left in the first quarter. Mavs fans also cheered when Fisher was called for a foul about 10 seconds later, according to the AP.

Even Mavericks owner Mark Cuban joined Mavs fans in the boos. Before the game, which OKC won 107-101, Cuban said he was going to boo Fisher.

“I’ll just boo him like hopefully everybody else,” Cuban said, via ESPN Dallas.

Cuban is still upset with Fisher for the way he handled their business dealings. Cuban says Fisher, then unemployed, repeatedly called him before the season asking for a chance to play. After an injury in November, the Mavericks owner signed the veteran point guard. But after Fisher got hurt, he asked the Mavs to release him supposedly so that he could rehab from a knee strain closer to his family. Dallas obliged in good faith, only to see Fisher later sign with the Thunder.

“It’s not so much what he did. It’s how he did it,” said Cuban before the game.

No surprise, OKC won the game. If it’s any consolation to Dallas fans, Fisher had three fouls, two points, and one assist in 12 minutes.

Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Derek Fisher signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder this week, and the move is not sitting well with the Dallas Mavericks.

Dallas signed Fisher at the end of November after point guard Darren Collison got hurt. At the time, Fisher said he would devote himself to the Mavs for the season.

“I told (teammates) today, ‘This is not a pit stop. This is not kind of the final whatever before I decide to retire soon.’ I’m here to give everything I have to help this team right now and continue to build as we go through this season,” Fisher said after his first practice with the Mavericks on Nov. 29.

After straining his knee on Dec. 18, Fisher went against the commitment he made to the team and asked for his release.

“In Tuesday’s game against Philadelphia, I suffered an injury to my patellar tendon,” Fisher said in a statement. “With this news and the difficulty I have been having being away from my family, I have asked the organization to waive me so I can return home.”

The Mavericks obliged and released Fisher at his request.

On Monday, the Oklahoma City Thunder announced they were signing Fisher for the rest of the season. As you would figure, the turn of events is bothering the Mavericks.

NBA.com’s Jeff Caplan says the Dallas front office is “agitated” that Fisher signed with the Thunder after leaving Dallas on the premises of being close to his family.

It’s easy to see why they would be upset. They signed him in good faith and released him in good faith, and now he turns around and signs with another team in what seems like a deceitful move. Of course, this isn’t the first time Fisher has pulled a similar stunt. He asked the Utah Jazz to release him following the 2007 season so he could be close to his daughter, who needed special treatment for a medical condition. Then he signed with the Lakers, which was one of Utah’s competitors in the Western Conference.

Fisher needs to stop playing the family card to get him out of situations he doesn’t find favorable. It’s getting old and it makes him look bad.

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Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Getting traded isn’t easy for many athletes, particularly when you’re in your 13th season with a club for whom you’ve won five championships. That’s why getting dealt to Houston at the deadline wasn’t easy for former Lakers point guard Derek Fisher.

Fisher signed with the Thunder after the Rockets waived him, and he beat his former team Thursday night. He talked about the trade Thursday with Yahoo! Sports’ Marc J. Spears.

“I think the door was shut pretty hard in terms of how [the trade] happened,” Fisher said. “Obviously, the team felt they needed to move on. I have as well.”

“I’ve always thought there are different ways to handle trades and waiver-type situations where there can be some more communication – not necessarily far in advance but enough not to have to find out from the mailman or at the post office that you’ve been traded,” Fisher said. “And I’m not saying that’s what happened in this case, but I did wake up and I was traded. That’s the part that shocks you more than anything.”

I understand where Fish is coming from, but if you’re the Lakers, all you have to do is look at the way Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol behaved after learning they were part of trade talks. Odom’s feelings were hurt so badly he felt his relationship with the Lakers was irreparable so they dealt him to Dallas. Gasol played several games tentatively because he was unsure about his future. Keeping players’ names out of trade rumors helps them focus and perform better, so the Lakers probably didn’t want to risk telling Fisher he was being shopped in case a trade didn’t go through.

H/T I am a GM
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Derek Fisher was traded by the Lakers to the Rockets last week and was bought out by Houston. Oklahoma City signed him after he cleared waivers and he made his Thunder debut Wednesday. Fisher scored five points in 19 minutes in a win over the Clippers. He explained his decision to change jersey numbers from two to 37.

“Especially this season, it seemed to be a negative thing that I was 37,” Fisher said after the game. “So I just wanted to send a message that the Thunder organization and I see it as a positive that I’m a guy that can still help a team be successful and compete for a championship at the age of 37.”

Fisher saw good minutes in his first game with OKC and they seem excited to have him. Coach Scott Brooks praised Fisher as a winner and said you can never have too many winners in the locker room. Even if he’s proud of it, Fisher’s old age will be the reason he’s not in the league much longer.

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Photo Credit: Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

There were plenty of trade rumors concerning the Lakers prior to Thursday’s deadline, but very few, if any of them, involved Derek Fisher. That’s why it was so shocking to hear the Lakers had dealt their team leader to Houston. Even former Laker Lamar Odom, who was stunningly traded to Dallas before the season, was surprised.

“I’m a little bit surprised, but you never know,” Odom told the Fort Worth Star Telegram. “It’s a business. You never know.

“That’s the way it goes. Business is business, as injuries are. You still have a job to do,” Odom said.

You would think of all people Lamar Odom would be the least surprised by the trade since it happened to him, but that just shows how unexpected the deal was.

The Rockets said they will buy out Fisher’s deal making him available to other teams. Someone will pick him up, but not the Lakers — they can’t get him back until next July. Fisher doesn’t offer a ton to teams, but he is good in the locker room and he can still make a big shot in the clutch.

The Lakers beat the Clippers on Friday night at Staples Center 112-104. Center Chris Kaman was ejected at the end of the game after setting a pick on Lakers point guard Derek Fisher, whom he felt came up too high while fighting through it. The two got into an argument and Kaman reportedly said he’ll see Fisher in the parking lot afterwards.

Kobe was asked for his response after the game and said the NBA was full of fake tough guys (like Chris Bosh). He then made a crack about Kaman fighting with a bow and arrow. The whole mini-feud was actually becoming mildly amusing before Mo Williams played the trump card on twitter Saturday.

Williams wrote “If yall didn’t know, D Fish is the Hines Ward of the NBA. I don’t know if that’s a compliment or not. But don’t let that nice guy fool u.”

In case you don’t understand the reference, Hines Ward is often called the dirtiest player in the NFL. Mo is exactly right. Fisher comes off as a well spoken, friendly guy with a smile, but he really is a guy who loves initiating contact. If you don’t agree, just look at this and compare it to this and then let me know what you think. Looks pretty similar to me.