He completely forgot the date: May 9.
Only when someone pointed out how today would be the anniversary of the events that began with Tatum Fisher's initial, successful cancer treatment in a New York hospital and ended with her father's triumph at EnergySolutions Arena did the convergence hit home. Exactly a year later, he would be coming back to Salt Lake City, facing his old Jazz teammates in a playoff game.
"Wow," he said.
Fisher inspired the Jazz's overtime defeat of Golden State, providing one of the greatest memories in the team's history and receiving one of the arena's loudest, warmest welcomes after he arrived from the airport and checked into the game late in the third quarter, barely pausing along the team bench.
Eventually, his only shot of the game, a three-pointer at a critical stage in overtime, helped secure the win and created what Sports Illustrated would label the NBA's signature moment of 2007.
"It was life in a day," Fisher said this week, standing on the Lakers' practice court. "You think about all the good and the bad and the cheers and the tears and everything that happens in your lifetime. . . . To feel the threat of losing someone you love so dearly to then being able to go out and do something you love so dearly, the game of basketball, to juggle both of those in the same day was really remarkable."
At the moment Fisher showed up, Andrei Kirilenko was playing point guard, because starter Deron Williams was in foul trouble and reserve Dee Brown was at a hospital, having injured his neck in a first-half collision.
Fisher played the last 3:18 of the third quarter, then returned for the final 1:13 of regulation and stayed through overtime. He had not even touched a basketball for three days, but finally felt comfortable enough to drill a shot from the left corner that boosted the Jazz's lead to six points in OT. The shot gave his day a perfect ending and convinced him forever that the positive thoughts and prayers of fans helped make it all happen.
So just imagine the celebration a year later, when Fisher returns to play in front of those fans.
Uh, maybe not.
If the greeting is anything like the reception for Fisher during the Lakers' two regular-season visits, it will feature more jeering than cheering.
"Our fans . . . man, I hope they don't boo him the same way they did," said Jazz forward Carlos Boozer.
You loved him then.
You hate him now?
The reaction is understandable, to a degree. In July, when Fisher succeeded in having the Jazz and the NBA free him from his contract and later signed with the Lakers for about two-thirds of the $20.5 million remaining on the original deal, citing how Tatum's medical needs could best be met in Los Angeles, this was my question:
Do you back him unconditionally? Or do you wonder how much of this was calculated?
It was clear in November when Fisher came back as a Laker that "calculated" was trumping "unconditional" among Jazz ticket-buyers. He was booed every time he touched the ball, and he was stunned.
"I didn't expect to be cheered or revered as a hero of any kind," he said this week, "but I didn't necessarily expect that reaction."
The feelings expressed that night - and to a lesser degree in March, when Fisher returned - play deeply into Utahns' resentment of the Lakers. If he had signed with a team in another of the cities his New York-based doctor recommended for accessible treatment of Tatum, such as the New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies or even the L.A. Clippers, the emotion would be reduced.
Anybody but the Lakers, in other words, especially now that they've become good again and Fisher is among the reasons for their improvement.
His absence has also accelerated the Jazz's growth, making room for guards Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver. It's just that now, at the most important time of the year, he's hurting them. In Wednesday's Game 2 victory, Fisher scored 22 points on 7-for-10 shooting.
Asked if facing Fisher in the playoffs makes him second-guess owner Larry Miller's accommodation of him, coach Jerry Sloan said, "Larry made the decision; we've supported that decision."
Fisher obviously has no misgivings about the move. Tatum, who will turn 2 on June 29, is improving as a result of a procedure she has undergone every four weeks at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. To deal with retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer lodged behind her eye, her parents disdained the generally accepted method of removing the eye. The cancer is gone, following a year of treatment, Fisher said, but she is being closely monitored.
Fisher's career, which he described as "at risk" when he left the Jazz, is thriving. His regular-season statistics as the Lakers' starting point guard - including 43.6-percent shooting, 40.6 percent from three-point range, 11.7 points - were career highs or close to them. He contributed to longtime teammate Kobe Bryant's MVP season, he's credited as a stabilizing influence on young teammates and he's contending for a fourth NBA title.
The Jazz, to whatever degree of annoyance they may present, are temporarily in his way. So are their fans, whose feelings Fisher addressed by saying, "I don't know if there's anything I could even do or say at this point that would change that. . . . You just want what's best for your family and the people you love at that time, and how people respond is really secondary or maybe doesn't have a place at all."
It would be naive to believe Fisher could not have known that rejoining the Lakers was a possibility, when he asked for his contractual release. It would also be very cold to think this was just a shrewd basketball move that happened to help his daughter, which is how the ESA crowd came across during the regular season.
"I think if you were to pull each of the fans aside, maybe outside of the arena, and ask them, they recognize what he did and can appreciate someone going through that," said Jazz center Jarron Collins.
Anybody who was in the building last May 9, even while knowing only part of the Fishers' story at the time, could never forget what happened.
You loved him a year ago.
You can't hate him tonight.
On the anniversary of his legendary game, Fisher deserves to hear cheers when the Lakers' starters are introduced.
Or how about just an absence of boos, for that brief moment?
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* KURT KRAGTHORPE can be reached at kkragthorpe@sltrib.com. To write a letter about this or any sports topic, send an e-mail to sportseditor@sltrib.com.
A year to remember
A lot has changed since Derek Fisher's memorable day a year ago...
May 9, 2007
Fisher's day begins with his daughter's initial, successful cancer treatment in New York and ends in Salt Lake City, where he inspires an overtime playoff victory against Golden State, providing one of the greatest memories in the team's history.
July 19, 2007
Signs a three-year contract with the L.A. Lakers for about two-thirds of the $20.5 million remaining on his Jazz deal.
Nov. 30, 2007
Gets booed every time he touches the ball in his first game at EnergySolutions Arena since leaving the Jazz for the Lakers. He scores three points in Utah's 120-96 victory.
March 20, 2008
Gets booed again, to a lesser degree than in November, at ESA as the Lakers prevail 106-95. He scores 11 points.
May 9, 2008
Returns to the ESA for Game 3 of the second-round playoff series - exactly one year after what Sports Illustrated labeled the NBA's signature moment of 2007.
