For Fisher, Cheers, Tears And Boos

LOS ANGELES

You wouldn't think the compassion extended so lovingly to Derek Fisher and his family that magical night a year ago could be conditionally tied to a jersey. You wouldn't think folks could choose basketball over a family's inspirational fight against its baby girl's cancer. But it came to that just six months later when thousands of Utah Jazz fans booed Fisher because he dared return as a Laker, because a search for the best medical care for his daughter led him from Salt Lake City back to Los Angeles.

One can only wonder what the reaction will be Friday night in Salt Lake City when Fisher takes the court for the Lakers in Game 3 of their playoff series against the Jazz. "I think it'll be as crazy and hostile an environment as I have ever played in . . . ever in my career," Fisher said. "And I don't know how much of it will be personal. . . . I think me coming back will have some impact on how they handle themselves. It'll be interesting to see. I was just told that Friday's Game 3 will be one year to the date of the game that I came back to play in last year. Talk about not being able to plan everything in life. . . . There's no way that's an accident. I'm sure there will be a lot of emotion in the building that night."

It was exactly a year ago that Fisher flew from New York to Salt Lake City following one of his daughter Tatum's treatments for a cancerous tumor of the retina, rushed to the arena and led a playoff victory over Golden State, complete with a dramatic three-point shot in overtime. People cried and hugged and pledged their support to the Fishers. But after seeking permission from the Jazz to examine relocating to a community closer to the best doctors and facilities for Tatum's continued treatment, Fisher chose Los Angeles, where he had been a member of three championship Lakers teams at the start of the decade. And this was a problem because they hate the Lakers in Utah.

So when the Lakers came to Salt Lake City on Nov. 30, Fisher was booed, as if May 9, 2007, had never happened.

So much for Fisher leading the critical victory that pushed the Jazz to the Western Conference finals or for Tatum's health. Kobe Bryant, close friends with Fisher throughout their careers, thought back to Fisher's determination to play that night after the long flight from New York on what had already been a draining day. Kobe text-messaged Fisher in New York. "I asked him," Bryant said, " 'Are you gonna play?' And he said, 'I'm gonna give it a go. I think I owe it to the people in Utah because when I arrived here they welcomed my family and me with open arms. I owe it to them to go out and perform.' And he made that huge, huge shot and he just played his heart out. And now the first time we go back there these people have the nerve to boo him. It just set me off."

In a conversation with ESPN, Fisher was his usual measured self, though clearly bothered by the reaction to his first return to Salt Lake City. "To think about it now, a year removed from what we experienced and what Tatum went through, how much stronger we are as a family, how much better she's doing, its amazing that that can happen in one year," he said.

"It was a difficult thing to grasp or understand, in terms of what was it that the fans didn't quite understand about our story as a family. There were plenty of articles and stories about what took place and why. When you hear about a family experiencing cancer or any serious illness there is no point to judge any professional move or personal decision that's made in terms of improving the quality of life."

Fisher isn't painting everybody in Utah with the same broad stroke.

"I got a letter from a lady who was our real estate agent in Salt Lake City," he said. "She and her husband treated us like family the year we were there. She attached a newspaper article from one of the local newspapers that basically said it was the wrong time for Jazz fans to boo. She wanted me to know from her husband as well as from the writer and other Jazz fans that those fans that were booing are not speaking for everyone in that community. So it was good to receive some of that feedback."

Still, we're not talking about a handful of boos. "It hurt," Fisher said. "It threw me off. I'm really tough mentally, resilient, in terms of road games and being able to deal with the crowd. [But] that particular night it was an out-of-body type experience, similar [and opposite] to the one I had before . . . I couldn't shake myself out of it. I felt really bad that I couldn't help us make a better effort in that game." (The Lakers lost by 24 with Fisher missing 7 of 8 shots.)