This week’s episode of Podcast P with Paul George featured five-time NBA champion Derek Fisher, who revisited a historic moment from the 2001 NBA Finals. Fisher reflected on Allen Iverson’s unforgettable Game 1 performance, where Iverson scored 48 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to an overtime win against Fisher’s Los Angeles Lakers.
Fisher also took responsibility for the infamous moment when Iverson stepped over Tyronn Lue after hitting a clutch jumper.
“That whole week in practice leading up to game one, I was getting frustrated with myself because I felt like my timing and rhythm wasn’t the same as it was leading up to the finals,” Fisher said. “So game one starts, we start off strong, I start off strong and then I basically tanked. I didn’t have the energy and the force that I normally play with. So Phil Jackson had to make a choice for the team to like, okay, sure, let’s get [Tyronn Lue] out here and see if he can use his speed to try to impact what AI [Allen Iverson] was bringing to us that night.
“I put Ty Lue in that position where he had to deal with that because I wasn’t at my best. That moment has always been a part of me and Ty Lue’s relationship anyway because we were super close and still are, but I respect AI like crazy and there’s nothing about that moment of that series that would change that, but I really feel like it was just all about me not being ready. Unfortunately, Ty Lue had to live through that man. So I personally feel responsible for it even though again, it’s not like Ty Lue didn’t deserve to be out there either.”
You can hear Fisher detail the moment below.
The post SOURCE SPORTS: Derek Fisher Takes Blame for Allen Iverson Stepping Over Ty Lue in 2001 Finals appeared first on .
