While Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura have encountered difficulties in finding their stride during the first week of the NBA season, Darvin Ham appears unworried.
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Despite strong performances from LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and D’Angelo Russell in the early stages of the NBA season, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura have faced challenges.
Hachimura, who has been relegated to the bench this season, struggled on opening night, going 3-10 from the field. He played only two shifts against Phoenix and had a lackluster performance against Sacramento, where he suffered a left eye contusion, causing him to miss the Magic game on Monday. His anticipated mid-range efficiency and offensive impact off the bench have yet to materialize. Instead, he has missed good scoring opportunities and struggled defensively against top-level wings and guards.
While Hachimura’s slow start is perplexing, Reaves’ performance has raised concerns. He has struggled offensively and has become a target for opposing teams on defense. In the game against Orlando, Markelle Fultz continuously attacked the basket when Reaves was on the court, which led Coach Ham to bench Reaves for the rest of the night after another layup by Fultz gave the Magic a four-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. A similar scenario occurred in the previous game against Sacramento, where Reaves was benched heading into overtime, and he didn’t return to the game.
Despite the early struggles of two key re-signed Lakers players, Darvin Ham expressed his lack of concern for their long-term performance during his pregame press conference before the Magic game. He attributed their challenges to the natural ups and downs of an NBA season, emphasizing that they are still getting good looks and that confidence and belief are key to overcoming these slumps.
Ham acknowledged the difficulty of balancing immediate success with long-term goals and acknowledged the need to have conversations with Reaves and Hachimura to maintain their confidence as they work through their struggles and regain their form.