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With Trail Blazers point guard Andre Miller suspended for a flagrant foul on Blake Griffin, Derek Fisher's participation in Tuesday's game against the Washington Wizards didn't just help spark a win. It meant playing a 434th consecutive game, which makes him the leader among active NBA players. (The granddaddy of all iron men, A.C. Green, holds the all-time record with 1,192 straight contests.) I asked Fisher after the game what the streak meant to him and as is often the case, his comments reflected a mindset aware of a picture bigger than his own:

"There's a lot of people in this country and around the world that make that decision every day. I take a lot of pride in it from that perspective. Not really about me personally or athletically what it means but, I watched my parents and my dad and my mom wake up every morning and go to work when they had to.

"It's more so that to me than about playing 400-plus basketball games... There are a lot of days as an athlete where you physically shouldn't even be out there. But when you remember those days when your uncle or grandmother or somebody had to catch the bus to get a ride to get to work, you can't use a sore back or a sore neck or a sore ankle as an excuse to not go out and lace them up."

This wasn't necessarily the response I expected, but the sentiments were anything but surprising. Fisher is a hardhat kinda dude, and folks donning hard-plastic chapeaus appreciate the universal language of work ethic. Fish grew up watching family members toil at jobs considerably more difficult and less glamorous (not to mention, less lucrative) than his gig. With that in mind, the least he can do is be appreciative enough of this good fortune not to ask out unless his body makes it humanly impossible.

It's actually pretty fitting this honor would grace Fish's resume, because it ultimately symbolizes what he's about as a player and a person: Accountability.

Accountability in the way he gravitates towards leadership roles, whether on the court, in the locker room or as President of the Player's Association. Accountability in the way he lives for shots and moments with the most pressure attached. Accountability in the way he's among the best conditioned athletes in the NBA. And accountability in a manner as simple (yet ultimately profound) as just showing up game in and game out and demanding an honest day's work from himself while physically capable.

It ain't always easy, but the alternative is never an option.

Fans will debate Fisher's worth as a point guard until the cows come home, but what can't be questioned is his dedication. 434 games without a break is just another piece of evidence.

Wednesday night's 99-97 win over the Bobcats at Staples didn't just help eliminate the sour taste of Monday's frustrating and slightly controversial loss in Memphis, it also gave Phil Jackson his 534th victory as coach of the Lakers, enough to pass Pat Riley for the all-time franchise lead.

PODCAST
Andy and Brian talk Phil Jackson and Pat Riley, plus Kobe vs. Magic. (Call it some serious G.L.O.A.T./G.L.C.O.A.T. conversation.) We welcome 710 ESPN's Beto Duran into the studio to join the discussion. Guest A.C. Green breaks down his time under both Riley and Jackson, and explains why he's probably the only man on the planet allowed to call Kobe "soft." Podcast

Only one player suited up in purple and gold for both coaches. A.C. Green won two rings with Riley during the Showtime era, then another with Jackson in the '99-'00 season. (Incidentally, the other seven guys who played for both PJ and Riley form a very eclectic list: Shaquille O'Neal, Smush Parker, Chuck Nevitt, Pete Meyers, Gary Payton, Stacey King, and Jimmy Jackson. Go forth and win a trivia contest!)

Green's connection gives him a unique perspective on the iconic coaching pair, so in anticipation of PJ's achievement- here at Land O' Lakers we're always thinking ahead- I spoke to Green late last week and asked him to outline similarities and differences between them:

"Coach Riley was really a guy who was a disciplinarian. He was very much a "team-first" coach. He wanted and emphasized the bonding of players, of families coming together. Being a family unit was very important to him. But at the same time, he was extremely passionate about what he wanted, and what he believed was going to be winning at all costs. The most important aspect was “get the W.”

Phil, on the other hand (is) much more laid back as a coach in his delivery and approach, but very, very strong in his direction. He knows exactly what he wants, and that’s a common bond that they both shared. They had a different method of communicating that to us players, but both were extremely successful in the NBA world, and of course the top two coaches as far as the Lakers and victories in Lakerland...

...Both of the guys, coach Jackson and coach Riley, players have to adapt to their styles, their philosophies. Because someone (speaking of Jackson) doesn’t maybe use as much passion or force in how the way they deliver (direction), you might think they might be more of a “player’s coach” or the atmosphere might be a little bit better than maybe even a coach Riley, who would have a lot more force to his delivery and (was) very confrontational as far as his approach in some ways. But at the same time, players respond differently to direction. What actually gets a player to tick and perform at their highest level (is different.)

I think the majority of guys in today’s league probably would like that more laid back coach who just sort of lets the players handle themselves, and work their way out of problems and situations, and that’s really more the style, of course, of Phil Jackson."