After a couple of statement wins this past week, the Los Angeles Lakers are suddenly right back in the playoff mix.
The Lakers sit in ninth in the Western Conference but have a chance to move up and secure better positioning for the Play-In Tournament or perhaps get out of it altogether.
Los Angeles suffered a tough loss to the Sacramento Kings last week, and now will head up north for a pivotal rematch.
Head coach Darvin Ham explained what the Lakers need to do to change the result this time around. “Again, just regardless of who we’re playing, being the best version of ourselves, Ham said.” “That’s all we’ve been talking about. How great can we be? Obviously, we have to do a little bit of detailed work in terms of preparing for a specific team. But when we’re going out and performing like we know what we’re capable of, we like our chances, to say the least.
“And so the biggest thing for us is just again, to keep building on what we’re doing defensively. And then offensively, got to correct those turnover habits, man. We had too many unforced errors out there. And I’m not the turnover coach. I love competitive turnovers, guys trying to play the right way. But just the senseless, no defensive pressure or anything like that, those type of turnovers, and they’re live-ball turnovers at that, those we got to eliminate.”
Ham added what needs to happen for he and the team to reach their potential before the postseason.
“We just got to keep stacking days. The little things, we can’t get bored with the details, the little things. Coming out with the right energy and effort, alertness, our awareness of what we were doing and what we prepare for each individual team that we’re facing. But more so just us being in our groove and understand how we got to play. Making quick decisions, no indecisiveness and playing with pace in the full court, half court, being physical, getting hits on bodies and being deliberate with the basketball.
“And defensively, just just really being good from start to finish. The transition defense, our pick-and-roll coverages, guys giving resistance on the ball and everybody behind them being alert and active with the shifts in activity and everybody gang rebounding. That has to happen each and every game. And we can live with the results.”
Ham previously diagnosed what went wrong the last time Los Angeles played Sacramento, so hopefully he and the team are better prepared.
Darvin Ham on being six games over .500 for first time as Lakers head coach
After the win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers are six games over .500. This is the first time Ham has hit the mark and he offered his thoughts on the accomplishment.
“Last year was about finding the right pieces that complemented AD and Bron and this year has been more so trying to manage bodies and trying to stay healthy. And so it is what it is, we found ourselves here. I just think we’re trending in the right direction. This huge upswing in the way we’re playing, we’re playing for one another. We’re bringing the effort and playing hard. Some great, great, great winning plays. I can’t wait to put that section together for the film.
“But guys are in a good space and good mental space, spiritual space. Physically, we’ll be getting some guys back here pretty soon, hopefully. And we just got to keep trending in this direction to just take things one day at a time, one game at a time. That’s all we have to do, and we’ll be okay.”
It’s good to hear that Ham and the team are in a good place, but they’ll need more wins to cement their spot in the playoffs.
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