Derek Fisher Continues to Haunt Utah Jazz Fans

Jazz fans are some of the most verbally abusive sports fans anywhere, something D-Fish knows about all too well. Unfortunately for the folks in Utah, this seems to serve as a form of motivation for the Laker point guard. Yahoo! reports: “Derek Fisher found a picture from a playoff game against the Utah Jazz on the Internet earlier this year. Fisher isn’t certain during which Los Angeles Lakers game the photo was taken, but he knows what it shows: As the former Jazz guard attempts to shoot a free throw in Salt Lake City, a fan behind the basket covers his left eye to taunt him. Fisher also knew what the photo meant. The fan was mocking his young daughter, Tatum, who had cancer in her left eye. Fisher left the Jazz in the summer of 2007 to return to the Lakers so his daughter could receive what he considered was the best medical care available. ‘It’s crazy,’ Fisher said of the picture. ‘It really is.’ Fisher wasn’t greeted too warmly when he entered EnergySolutions Arena Saturday night. The Jazz fans booed him strongly when he was introduced, chanted “Fisher sucks!” during the game and cited his daughter during their trash talk. Fisher heard it all, and he once signaled to the crowd to keep bringing it as he walked to the bench. Fisher, as he has so often done during his career, also got the last laugh. His 3-pointer with 28.6 seconds left proved to be the go-ahead basket as the Lakers beat the Jazz 111-110 to take a 3-0 lead in the series. ‘I just have taken what’s thrown at me. Just try to concentrate on playing basketball,’ said Fisher, who scored 20 points in the Lakers’ win. ‘It’s very personal. Obviously, it’s personal for them. It’s personal for me. The best way to respond to it is to make sure we win.”’