OKLAHOMA CITY — If Derek Fisher shows this kind of stamina as the Knicks’ coach, they may be in for a fun ride.
Fisher’s playing career likely ended Saturday night with the veteran point guard playing the final 21:47 of the Thunder’s loss to the Spurs as part of Oklahoma City’s new smallball lineup in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals. The Spurs prevailed 112-107 in overtime despite the Thunder’s Fisher-inspired fourth-quarter comeback from 12 points down.
Now that the Thunder have been eliminated, Fisher can start thinking about his coaching future.
The 39-year-old Fisher, after playing his series-high 32 minutes, was hugged immediately by teammate Danny Green, a North Babylon, L.I.. native, then by Tim Duncan. Fisher, a 6-footer, was constantly matched against much bigger players in the final period, having to defend Boris Diaw, Duncan and Manu Ginobili, but he was scrappy to the end. He dove to the floor to save a possession in overtime, sliding out of bounds and into a front-row patron. It’s the kind of scrappiness that could make him a great coach.
Former Knicks coach Hubie Brown, on hand for the radio broadcast of Game 6, said of Fisher, “You’re not dealing with a typical basketball player,” citing his career as longtime president of the Players Association. Brown called Fisher “the total package.”
Knicks president Phil Jackson confirmed Friday he “definitely’’ will speak with Fisher, but added there are “lots of unknowns” on whether the former Laker will take the job, referring to his young children in Los Angeles.
“He was the 24th pick in the first round — same year as Kobe Bryant [1996],’’ Brown told The Post. “They bonded and formed a great backcourt in winning a lot of championships. Most important is the players who played with him in L.A. will always tell you how he is a terrific talker in the locker room to the entire group. And everyone backs it up through the year.”
“He eventually moves to the Players Association where he becomes the president. You’re not dealing with a typical basketball player. You’re dealing with a guy with great intelligence. And he displays leadership with a team that won championships where he was not a starting player — just a guy who made the chemistry go and then had leadership in the union.
“I would say if you are going to take a guy who has never coached before, you’re at least taking a guy who players have listened to. That’s big now. That means under crisis when coaches aren’t there, you can control a room of high-rated players that are discussing killing a coach. He can control it.’’
Fisher spoke with Brown at the morning shootaround Saturday, but declined to talk to reporters because he didn’t want to discuss his future.
Earlier in the series, Fisher said he was “humbled’’ and “flattered’’ by being mentioned as a top Knicks coaching candidate.