FISHER PLAYS BIT PART LIKE LEADING MAN.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

MINNEAPOLIS -- Teams don't notice him that much. He's not exactly a flashy player. He's very polite, well-spoken, respectful. The kind of guy you hope the daughter brings home.

Derek Fisher does all that little stuff on the basketball court that so seldom earns much credit.

On a team with two of the biggest superstars in his sport, Fisher is the Lakers' third-leading scorer. This is like getting third billing behind Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino.

Fisher has spent a career being overlooked, unless it was when he was catching the blame for the opposing point guard lighting it up. Every time a Mike Bibby or a Tony Parker or a Troy Hudson did, it was immediately assumed Fisher was at fault.

Which is how this series against the Minnesota Timberwolves had been going. Hudson was making like Oscar Robertson, so all eyes quickly focused on that nice, little point guard of the Lakers. What was his name again?

The people of Minnesota probably are beginning to get it down.

The Lakers turned in their most impressive and complete performance of this postseason Tuesday night in a dominating 120-90 victory in Game 5 at Target Center.

`It's the team I recognize,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.

This Lakers again was led in scoring by the Big Two, Kobe Bryant scoring 32 points and Shaquille O'Neal adding 27. They tower over everyone else in the Lakers universe.

But it was Fisher on Tuesday who set the tone early. Fisher who came out quickly, knocked down 3-pointers, fueled the Lakers to an early lead they only built on by the quarter.

``Derek Fisher was instrumental, inspirational,'' Jackson said.

Fisher finished with 24 points (8 of 10, 5 of 7 from 3-point range), four rebounds, four steals and three assists, all coming in the first three quarters. By then, the Lakers had taken a 21-point lead and a crucial game had been safely stored away.

Fisher is on this strange every-other-game plan in these playoffs. He's scored 17, 23 and 24 points in the odd games, eight and five in the even ones.

And Hudson, who had been unexpectedly killing the Lakers, finished with 14 points Tuesday on 5-of-16 shooting.

``Derek's been taking a lot of heat because of how effective Troy has been,'' Lakers veteran guard Brian Shaw said. ``I told him sometimes the best way to combat a guy who's hot offensively is by taking it back to him.

``Fisher came out really aggressively tonight on the offensive end. That was a big plus for us.''

Like he had in the Lakers' easy victory in the opener, Fisher started Tuesday's game by hitting a pair of 3-pointers. The Lakers led except for a brief moment in the middle of the second quarter.

With Rick Fox out for the rest of the postseason, the Lakers need others to up their game. Robert Horry, who had completely lost his outside shot, nailed his first 3-pointer of this postseason to give the Lakers back the lead. Fisher hit from 18 feet. Horry hit another 3-pointer, Fisher swished one from 12 and the Lakers built a lead that would only swell.

``This is the first time in the series we won every quarter,'' Fisher said. ``It seemed like since the first two quarters of Game 1, Minnesota had won every quarter.

``We still have some work to do.''

The Lakers now lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 and have a chance to end it back at Staples Center in Game 6.

If Fisher can continue to resemble the player the Lakers had Tuesday, they have to like their chances.

``We believe in Fisher,'' Jackson said.

Fisher, as always, sort of shrugged at his play. If he wanted to take credit, he wasn't going to show it. He lets his play do most of the boasting.

In the second quarter, Kevin Garnett's knee jammed Fisher's thigh just above the right knee, sending him down to the floor. After a timeout, he remained in the game.

``I was upset that I couldn't get back on that possession,'' Fisher said.

There was little else Fisher missed. As a third wheel, he was spinning just fine.

``Fisher played well,'' O'Neal said. ``We talked to him about making Troy play defense.''

He played so well, people might even begin to notice.

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Photo:

Minnesota's Troy Hudson (16) played his worst game of the series Tuesday partly because Lakers' guard Derek Fisher, right, played so well.

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press