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Derek Fisher was never the best player, certainly not the tallest or quickest. Bucky Walters Jersey . But whether on the court with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille ONeal, or across the bargaining table from David Stern and Adam Silver, he never feared taking the shot, speaking his mind, or doing whatever else was expected of a leader. So he has every attribute the New York Knicks need -- except experience as a coach, the job they hired him to do. "But I am experienced," Fisher said Tuesday. "Basketball is a game that I am experienced in playing, understanding, leading in, guiding in, helping another group of people achieve the greatest gift in the world as a professional athlete, and thats being a champion. That I have experience in, and thats the experience that I plan on sharing with these players, sharing with this organization." Thats what made Phil Jackson turn to one of his most trustworthy former players for his first coaching hire. Just days after finishing his 18th season, the 39-year-old Fisher was tabbed to replace Mike Woodson, whom Jackson fired in his first major move as team president. Fisher won five championships playing for Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers and was known for his knack for hitting clutch post-season shots while playing an NBA-record 259 playoff games. But some of his most important work came in the locker room, just as it will now. "He made some incredible shots in the playoffs, always stepped into the vacuum of leadership, but more than anything else it was the ability of Derek to speak the truth from what the sense of the group was," Jackson said during a press conference at the Knicks training centre in Greenburgh, New York. The Knicks went 37-45 and missed the playoffs, just a year after winning the Atlantic Division and advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals. Jackson, who declined an original offer to coach the team, was instead hired to run the front office in March and fired Woodson the week after the season ended. He was seeking someone familiar with the triangle offence and someone with little or no coaching experience that he could teach. The Knicks had nearly closed a deal to hire Steve Kerr, who instead left the TNT broadcast table to take the Golden State Warriors coaching job. Jackson then turned his attention to Fisher, even getting fined $25,000 last week when he was too open about his interest in the point guard who was still under contract with the Thunder. Terms of Fishers deal were not released, but a person with knowledge of the details said it was worth $25 million over five years -- the same length of Jacksons contract and about the same deal Kerr signed with the Warriors. Fisher won three straight titles from 2000-02 on the Lakers teams led by ONeal and Bryant, and helped them win again in 2009 and 10. He is respected among players around the league and was the president of the Players Association during the 2011 lockout. The 6-foot-1 Fisher was still a key contributor for the Thunder this season, helping them reach the Western Conference finals. Fisher, who is tied for third on the career list for 3-pointers in the NBA Finals, said thinking like a coach helped him play so long despite never being the most athletic or talented player. And now, like Jason Kidd in Brooklyn, he is prepared to make the leap right from the court to the bench without any coaching experience on any level. They Knicks won titles in 1970 and 1973, when Jackson was a player in the organization, but have had little post-season success in this century. Fisher, dressed sharply in a brown suit and purple shirt, believes he and Jackson can bring winning back to New York. "We know without a doubt that we can re-establish what that means, what that is," Fisher said. Fisher said he likes the triangle but would run what was best for the team. Jackson said he would always be available to help. The Knicks hope the duo can reach a group that admittedly tuned Woodson out at times. And perhaps can help persuade Carmelo Anthony, who can become a free agent in July, to remain in New York. Fisher, a former first-round pick from Arkansas Little-Rock, will certainly give New York a credibility that only champions can bring. "Thats why Im here," Fisher said. "Thats why I took advantage of this opportunity, to be a part of that process." Zach Eflin Jersey . This week they discuss the Philadelphia 76ers, Gregg Popovich, Royal and Ancient Golf Club and Bill Belichick. Tug McGraw Jersey . Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Buddy Robinson scored 43 seconds apart in the second period to lead the Binghamton Senators to a 4-1 victory over the Bulldogs in American Hockey League action Friday night at the Bell Centre. https://www.cheapphilliesjerseys.us/1237n-robin-roberts-jersey-phillies.html .com) - Robert Martin and Josh Hicks combined for more than 300 yards rushing and three touchdowns, as Rutgers rolled past North Carolina, 40-21, in the Quick Lane Bowl.CARSON, Calif. - A momentary lapse in focus Saturday night proved costly for the Vancouver Whitecaps. As a result, Robbie Keane scored in the 47th minute to give the Los Angeles Galaxy a 1-0 victory over Vancouver, stretching the Whitecaps losing streak at Stub Hub Center to five games. Since joining Major League Soccer in 2011, Vancouver has not won a game on the road against L.A. "In two seconds or five seconds, we lost the game," Vancouver midfielder Gershon Koffe said. Despite the temporary loss of focus, however, Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson viewed his teams performance as a solid one. "We showed that we were able to compete with the top teams away from home," Robinson said. "One minute of lack of concentration at the start of the second half cost us." The Galaxys Juninho began the scoring sequence with a long ball from midfield to Stefan Ishizaki on the right flank. With the Whitecaps Jay DeMerit marking him, Ishizaki saw an unmarked Keane racing toward the goal. Ishizaki sent the ball to Keane, who volleyed it with his left foot innside the left post from six yards. Fresco Thompson Jersey. Kekuta Manneh had two chances to give the Whitecaps an early lead but Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo foiled him both times. In the 32nd minute, Manneh struck a 10-yard line drive that Penedo deflected while diving to his left. Then in the 45th minute, Penedo blocked Mannehs point-blank shot seven yards from the goal. "He was electric in the first half," Robinson said about Manneh, who made his first start of the season. "I think it would have been a different game (if Manneh had scored). I felt we were slightly on top in the first half." Vancouver displayed a dynamic defence during that half despite missing midfielder Matias Laba, who was suspended after being ejected April 5 against Colorado. The Whitecaps hustled after disputed balls, intercepted passes and applied pressure throughout the field. The Whitecaps had a chance to force a tie in the 77th minute, but Penedo leaped to grab Kenny Millers 8-yard glancing header off Nicolas Mezquidas corner kick. Penedo finished with four saves. ' ' '