See Chauncey’s face? That’s the face every Laker-backing gambler makes every time Derek Fisher takes a shot. 

Every year, it feels like one specific guy costs me a bunch of money. 

Last year it was Nick Young. Every time I had money on the Wizards, and the game went to the wire, it seemed like Nick Young would jack up a grotesque three, then turn the ball over, then turn it over again. I’m sure he didn’t, but gambling breeds irrational dislike. 

This year, the wallet thief seems to be Derek Fisher. Tonight, the Lakers were 2.2-1 to beat the Nuggets at home. By the end of the third quarter, it felt like good money, with the Lakers firing on all cylinders… apart from Fisher, who spluttered and sprayed like a busted exhaust pipe. 

(You feel like Derek Fisher earns his time, with his sporadic ability to initiate contact, and not fall for fakes. But does that really make up for his sloth-footed defense, and terrible shooting? The problem isn’t his shot selection either; he’s taking great shots. They just never go in). 

Because he’s not having a good year, it feels like Fisher has been solely responsible the last 10 times the Lakers have blown a big lead. That’s irrational, but it seems true. (But then, he’s ranked 207th in offensive efficiency and 292nd in defensive efficiency, so maybe it’s kind of true).

The upshot? Fisher always seems to work things out in the playoffs. So, obviously I’ll be dropping hundreds on the Lakers no matter what the odds. I assume I’ll recover all the cash Fisher lost me in the regular season.

Remember When?

Nets at Pistons | 2004 East Semis

Chauncey Billups forced OT with a buzzer-beating half-court shot…and little-used forward Brian Scalabrine rescued the foul-plagued Nets in the third overtime with four 3-pointers. In the end, the Nets won 127-120.