Derek Fisher deserves all the credit in the world, as does Phil Jackson for sticking with him. Nevertheless, they both should be thanking Dwight Howard and his impotent attempts from the free throw line with a chance to ice the game. If Howard only hits one, Fisher’s late-game heroics from the 3-point line are harmless. And then there’s the issue of fouling Fisher before he gets a shot off. Stan Van Gundy disagreed with that strategy because he thought there was too much time on the clock.

He now says that decision will haunt him forever. Being the coach of a team that just gave up a five-point lead with 30-plus seconds left in a must-win NBA Finals game can cause these kinds of reactions.

Oh, and the blame is not just limited to Howard either. Hedo Turkoglu was three-of-seven from the line in the fourth quarter as well. These defining moments, while almost overshadowed by Fisher’s brilliance, should live on as long as Nick Anderson’s free throws do. They should also take any residual heat off of Courtney Lee’s behind.

Tags: Choke, Derek Fisher, Dwight Howard, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA Finals, Orlando Magic

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