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Well rested Lakers' Fisher more relaxed after Game 1 problems
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Derek Fisher finally got a good night's sleep. It came only after a below-par performance in Game 1 of the NBA Finals that included spending the last 20 1/2 minutes on the bench. That would seem a logical time to toss and turn. Not for Fisher. "I didn't sleep well, I didn't eat well, it affected my energy a great deal," he said Thursday in reference to the days leading up to the Finals. "I slept better last night than I have all week. "It's unfortunate it had to be that way." A key factor in the Los Angeles Lakers' 19-game winning streak -- eight to finish the regular season and 11 to start the playoffs -- Fisher went scoreless in his team's 107-101 overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. And he had a difficult time defensively against Allen Iverson, who finished with 48 points. Lakers coach Phil Jackson benched Fisher in favor of seldom-used Tyronn Lue with 5:23 to play in the third quarter and the 76ers leading 73-58. Lue was much more effective defensively, and added five points and five steals. Fisher didn't return, although assistant coach Tex Winter said it was decided he would go back in during a timeout in overtime, before Jackson changed his mind. "Whenever we lose a game, I find a way to put it on myself," Fisher said. "I felt like I could have done more." After watching the game tape, Fisher said he didn't feel like he did that bad a job on Iverson. "Allen's going to score 40 no matter how you slice it," he said. "Our objective is just to play with more energy. We scored enough points to win. We just didn't do enough in other areas." Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Friday night at Staples Center and the series then shifts to Philadelphia, meaning the heavily favored Lakers would be in big trouble with another loss. "There's always pressure in every game, pressure isn't anything new," Fisher said. "Obviously, we have to come out and get a win." Fisher was 15-of-20 from 3-point range and averaged 16.4 points in the Lakers' sweep of San Antonio in the Western Conference finals. He missed his only 3-point attempt as well as three other shots against the 76ers. "We just tried to not give him wide-open looks," Philadelphia's Eric Snow said. "We were aware of how well he was shooting in the playoffs, we didn't want to make it easy for him." It was the same thing with Kobe Bryant, who shot 7-for-22 in scoring 15 points -- less than half his playoff average. Iverson more than tripled the scoring of the Lakers' starting backcourt by himself. Bryant credited the 76ers after the game and again Thursday with playing tough defense, and several other Lakers expressed a similar belief. "We didn't handle their pressure, we turned the ball over too much," guard Brian Shaw said. "They played some pressure defense, we missed easy shots, Kobe didn't have a game like Kobe Bryant," forward Horace Grant said. "We had two key guys who don't shoot the ball well, that's not going to happen again," forward Robert Horry said, referring to Bryant and Fisher. Jackson looks for a much more productive Bryant in Game 2. "I think he's got something to prove," Jackson said. "We'll do some different things. We'll have some options that will be effective, I think, for Kobe." Bryant said the best thing to do with a game like Wednesday night's was to put it behind him. Immediately. "Game 1 was Game 1," he said. "My approach doesn't change. You just come back and play basketball." Bryant was no more effective than Fisher in trying to guard Iverson, but said the time he spent chasing the 76ers star didn't wear him out. And when asked if it was Philadelphia's defense or himself that stopped him, Bryant said he thought it was a combination. "I think we let ourselves down," he said. "I think if you look at the game, certain parts of the game, we just played horrible. "But we have to be pleased. If there's a positive that can come out of Game 1, it's the fact that we had an opportunity to win the game and we didn't play anywhere close to our best basketball."
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