Off Topic » r (lower back strain) on the 15-day DL and recalled rookie T.J

Derek Fisher was never the best player, certainly not the tallest or quickest. 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." Paul George Shoes Outlet . The hard-serving 22-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., became the first Canadian to be ranked in the Top 10 on the ATP World Tour thanks to his runner-up performance at Rogers Cup in Montreal. Paul George Shoes Deals . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. https://www.cheappaulgeorgeshoes.com/ .C. -- Eric Staal kept his focus after his apparent breakaway goal was waived off early in the third period. Paul George Shoes For Sale . Los Angeles announced its new deal for Kupchak late in the fourth quarter of a 145-130 loss to the Houston Rockets. Kupchak had one year left on his current contract. Clearance Paul George Shoes . Johan Franzen had two goals and two assists, Gustav Nyquist a goal and three assists and David Legwand a goal and two assists in the Red Wings 7-4 win over the New Jersey Devils.BALTIMORE -- BALTIMORE (AP) -- Carlos Santana doubled in two runs with two outs in the 13th inning, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-7 Thursday night for their fourth straight victory. Ryan Rayburn and Lonnie Chisenhall homered for the Indians, whose winning streak ties a season high. Three of Clevelands last four games have gone extra innings, including a 13-inning win over Detroit on Wednesday night. The Indians became the first team since the 2010 Angels to play two straight games of at least 13 innings, and it was the first time since 2003 that Cleveland played two consecutive 13-inning games. After two hits and a walk loaded the bases in the 13th, Santana came to plate against Troy Patton (0-1) with a .148 batting average. He pulled a sharp grounder inside the third-base line, only his third hit in 32 at-bats with two outs and runners on. Josh Outman (4-0) pitched two scoreless innings and Scott Atchison got three outs for his first save, despite giving up a solo home run to Nick Markakis. Ryan Flaherty also homered for Baltimore and Adam Jones had three hits. Orioles third baseman Manny Machado left after 11 innings with right groin stiffness. He didnt begin play this season until May 1 after undergoing off-season knee surgery. Baltimore used a five-run sixth inning to erase a 3-0 deficit, and after the Indians pulled even in the seventh the Orioles scored the go-ahead run in the bottom half without benefit of a hit. Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera fumbled Machados sharp grounder and Jones followed with a bouncer to third. Santana threw wildly to second base trying to start a double play, leaving runners on second and third with one out. After Mark Lowe issued an intentional walk to Chris Davis, Nelson Cruz hit a sacrifice fly to make it 6-5. Chisenhall answered in the eighth with a pinch-hit homer off Darren ODay to make it 6-all. It was Chisenhalls seccond home run of the season, both in the last two games.dddddddddddd Much earlier, Indians starter Justin Masterson induced three double plays over the first five innings while being pressed into action on three days rest. In the Baltimore sixth, after Steve Clevenger and J.J. Hardy delivered two-out RBI singles, Flaherty hit a 2-1 pitch over the 25-foot scoreboard in right field to make it 5-3. The advantage vanished in the seventh. With one out, Flaherty fumbled a potential double-play grounder to second base, getting an out at first that resulted in an RBI for David Murphy. Mike Aviles then chased Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen with a game-tying single. Baltimore regained the lead in the bottom half, but it would not last in this back-and-forth duel. Raburn put the Indians up 1-0 with a solo shot in the second inning, his first home run in 51 at-bats this season. Cleveland made it 3-0 in the third when Michael Brantley tripled in a run and scored on Chens first wild pitch of the year. NOTES: Baltimore has 12 or more hits in four straight games for the first time since April 2007. ... The Indians placed starter Zach McAllister (lower back strain) on the 15-day DL and recalled rookie T.J. House from Triple-A Columbus. House will make his first major league start Friday night against the Orioles, who will send Bud Norris to the mound. ... Cleveland also purchased Lowes contract from Columbus and optioned LHP Kyle Crockett to the same club. ... Baltimore placed RHP Tommy Hunter (groin strain) on the 15-day DL and recalled RHP Preston Guilmet. ... Chris Davis will likely be out Sunday and Monday on paternity leave while doctors induce labour on the first basemans wife, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. ... Jones has reached safely in 16 straight games. ... Baltimores Zach Britton blanked Cleveland in the 9th and 10th innings, his 10th consecutive scoreless outing. ' ' '