In a challenging matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers displayed resilience and fight, despite ultimately falling short. Assistant coach Darvin Ham praised the team’s performance, highlighting their commitment to playing natural basketball, making the right decisions on the court, and showing defensive intensity.

“I just think guys were just playing natural basketball, not trying to force anything, taking advantages of certain cross matches, mismatches,” Ham said after the game. “Really being organized and communicating, seeing what we wanted to get out of every offensive possession.

Despite being without LeBron James, the Lakers managed to stay competitive, cutting a 13-point halftime deficit to just two with under eight minutes remaining in the game. Ham credited the team for playing organized basketball, communicating effectively, and capitalizing on offensive opportunities while maintaining defensive focus.

“Then defensively, us having stretches where there were phenomenal plays made. Sometimes in the first half, there were a couple instances where we had a few breakdowns. But as the game got longer, our defense got stronger.”

The Lakers significantly improved their defensive efforts in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter, limiting the Clippers to just 21 points. Although the Clippers eventually pulled away, Ham attributed their success to making tough shots rather than the Lakers completely breaking down defensively.

While recognizing the need for actual wins rather than moral victories, Ham found encouragement in the team’s ability to compete with one of the league’s top teams, even without LeBron James. He emphasized the importance of the Lakers maintaining a next-play mentality, staying accountable for mistakes, and learning from them.

“I mean, we had a couple breakdowns. But for the most part, they made some tough shots,” Ham added. “Austin Reaves had a couple possessions where you can’t play any better defense on James or Kawhi. DLo had a huge block on defensive transition. Our guys competed.

“They competed their butts off but again, whatever mistake, if you close out the wrong way or if you’re not doubling in a timely fashion, they’re gonna make you pay and that’s just who they are, how they’re built. But we didn’t get discouraged, got disappointed a couple times, but we didn’t get discouraged. We fought through and had the next play mentality.”

Reflecting on the game, Ham commended the team’s competitive spirit and emphasized the lesson learned in how they competed together. Despite the disappointment of the loss, he expressed pride in the Lakers’ effort, especially in the absence of LeBron.

“I think the lesson tonight was just how we competed, how we competed together,” Ham said “Guys taking accountability for mistakes and not making them twice, trying to get better defensively as the game was ticking away. Disappointed in the loss but I’m proud of how our guys competed minus LeBron.”

Looking ahead, consistency becomes crucial for the Lakers. Ham believes that if the team can consistently compete at a high level, especially with a healthy roster, they have the potential to fulfill the expectations set at the start of the season.

Darvin Ham commends D’Angelo Russell for staying professional amidst trade rumors

In addition to praising the team’s overall effort, Ham specifically commended D’Angelo Russell for his professionalism amid trade rumors. Despite the external uncertainties, Russell has remained focused on his game, contributing significantly to the team’s performance. Ham acknowledged Russell’s commitment, communication, and competitive spirit in navigating the challenges surrounding trade speculation.

“First of all, he’s done a wonderful job being a pro about all of it,” Ham said. “There’s so much stuff that we can’t control. With that said, he’s just really locked in on his game, focused on ways he can help the team. Communicating, competing.”