Farmar to try for NBA-NBDL double duty

Apr 2, 2007 - 6:32 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Jordan Farmar is going to need some April fuel.

Farmar, a rookie guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, became the first player to play in a D-League game and NBA game on the same day.

On Saturday night, Farmar was assigned by the Lakers to the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the D-League, the NBA's developmental league. But he was not phased by the feat.

"Even though no one has done it before, it wasn't that weird for me," Farmar said. "It was fun."

He had 18 points and six assists in 40 minutes in the D-Fenders' game against the Anaheim Arsenal on Sunday. Farmar then was recalled by the NBA club after that game and collected four points and four rebounds in seven minutes later that night.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson praised Farmar and said the double duty was good for the rookie guard.

"Jordan was really aggressive," Jackson said. "He put the ball in the basket a couple of times and made some good defensive plays. I think it helped make him feel confident physically in his body.

"Sometimes, you get disembodied or something when you sit on the bench and watch and you're not participating, so I thought it helped him out."

Both games were at the Staples Center. The NBDL game began at 5:30 p.m. EDT and the NBA game started at 9:30 p.m., giving Farmar approximately about one hour to rest between contests.

Entering Sunday's game, Farmar has averaged 4.8 points in 62 games with the Lakers this season but had played just twice in the last six contests. Although he had not played in the D-League this campaign, Farmar was not insulted by being sent down.

"The (Lakers) have got to send someone down to get more comfortable, get more experience and get more playing time," Farmar said. "And I know that is the reason I went down. It wasn't because I'm not an adequate player or that I can't play at this level.

"It's just to help me out really, taking advantage of something that was made for that reason. I was happy I got to get in with the Lakers. That's my team, I play for the Lakers. The D-League is there to aid me and help me contribute to this organization."