Derek Fisher came through a devastating foot injury -- twice -- to get here, only to find himself shoved back to the bench when the Lakers stuttered for a few weeks.
Yet it wasn't last week's demotion that hurt so much, Fisher said. Just the shock when it happened, according to the LA Daily News.

"So it was more of a feeling of just not knowing where (the decision) came from. ... Just because of how many things have taken place in the last nine, 10 months as far as my career goes. Working hard to get healthy, getting back on the floor, starting to get into a rhythm and feeling good -- and then the change comes."

Coach Phil Jackson has said the change was simply intended to stabilize the second unit and add some speed, with Lindsey Hunter, to the first team. It took a few games before Fisher found his groove again as a reserve -- he's scored 32 points over the past two games -- and about the same amount of time before he felt good enough to talk about it.

"The most frustrating part about the situation is we haven't played well as a group," he said. "I definitely had to put aside my individual feelings for what's better for our team. So whatever decision Phil makes about the lineup, changing whatever, I'm OK with that, as long as our group is playing well.

"... I definitely want to be out on the floor as much as possible, but more so I was caught off guard than feeling like he was pointing the finger at me as the reason why we were struggling. I don't think that ever entered my mind, really."