Fisher helps Lakers open up 2-1 lead over Celtics in NBA finals

Veteran Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher has been praised by his teammates after helping the defending champions to a 91-84 victory over the Boston Celtics in the third game of the best-of-seven series NBA
finals.

As Lakers star Kobe Bryant's points tally began to dry up, the 35-year-old scored 11 points in the last quarter to seal victory for his team and a 2-1 series advantage.

With less than a minute to go he produced a crucial layup that gave the West Coast side a seven-point lead which the Celtics could not recover from.

Bryant, who finished with a team-high 29 points from 29 shots, was full of praise for Fisher -- who scored 16 in total and was mobbed by his
teammates at the final whistle.

"Fisher is our vocal leader, the heart and soul of this team," Bryant told the official Lakers Web site.

"He's been criticized quite a bit for his age. It's a huge thrill for him and for all of us to see him come through in these moments."

"I love what I do. I love helping my team win," Fisher added on his team's official Web site. "To come through tonight, again, for this team, 14 years in after so many great
moments, it's always quite surreal."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers, whose team last won the NBA title back in 2008, also admitted that Fisher's performance played a pivotal role in the Lakers win.

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