Derek Fisher

For 47-plus minutes in Game Five, the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs — even with Hall of Famers roaming about — found consistent offense difficult to come by until the game’s final 10 seconds. With 259 career postseason games and a rolodex of crowd-silencing shots confirming his case, Derek Fisher proved once more on May 13, 2004 that said environments remain perfect for the unsung heroes. With the Spurs’ defense smartly loading up resources to cover Los Angeles’ superstars, Fisher, given just 0.4 seconds to balance his form, adds to his underrated late-game résumé by hoisting a game-winning bucket softly through the net. Fisher’s exhilarating score curtained a predictably-chaotic sequence that saw an improbable 18-footer from San Antonio’s superstar just moments before. Muting the Spurs’ arena to a level quiet enough to hear a pin drop, the eventual 18-year veteran helped the tumultuous Lakers ride the momentum to a 2004 NBA Finals appearance, conquering their familiar foes for the third time in four postseasons. By night’s end, Fisher’s contributions added up to eight points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal, one 3-pointer, and another unforgettable inscription into the NBA’s playoff history.

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