SUMMARY
- Despite the success of Los Angeles Lakers, there is noted disconnect between the core players and head coach Darvin Ham
- LeBron James and D'Angelo Russell are cited as examples of Lakers players showering praise on opposing coaches rather than their own.
The Los Angeles Lakers have climbed up to No. 9 in the Western Conference with all their might and a couple of wins. The team has won five of the last eight games and is coming off a win against the Portland Trail Blazers. However, the disconnect between the core players and the head coach, Darvin Ham, remains intact.
The media houses covering the NBA are quick to notice that the core players are showering praise on other head coaches. For example, LeBron James went out of his way to drop praise for the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers. On January 7, 2024, the two teams went face-to-face at the Crypto.com Arena. When a reporter mentioned ‘James Harden’s Clippers’, LeBron put out a different name for the team.
Laker players continue to be frustrated at Darvin Ham, per Dan Woike. 👇 #LakeShow
“The frustrations from everything that’s come since the in-season tournament have been directed at a lot of different people including coach Darvin Ham. This month, praise for opposing coaches… pic.twitter.com/YNLfXYfwfE
— 🎗NBA•Fan🎗 (@Klutch_23) January 21, 2024
The 39-year-old went on to call the team “T-Lue Clippers.” Although some might see it as a player praising his former coach, the same pattern was spotted with a teammate. D’Angelo Russell and his team faced off against the Brooklyn Nets on January 19, 2024. The trailing Lakers really slumped in terms of defense that night. However, Russell was quick to speak highly of the Nets’ coach.
In a post-game interview, the player praises Jacque Vaughn, head coach of the Nets. He said, “If you don’t communicate, they’ll take advantage of it from slips and screens, and obviously, Jacque Vaughn’s a hell of a coach.” The same issue caught the attention of Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. Per the article, since the front office seems reluctant to fire Ham, the fix needs to be done internally.
While the article also talks about a potential trade as a solution, the speculations hold no solid ground. It’s going to be a tough call for the front office, as not firing Ham can probably have an ill response from the core players now. However, the recent win against a fellow franchise does point towards something good.
Darvin Ham’s Lakers resurrect themselves with a win against the Trail Blazers
The Lakers seemed to rely less on the freelance defense this time and played a little more aggressively. The team swept the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 21, 2024, in a home stand. Bron hit a 28-point score with 5 rebounds and 5 assists while recording 31 minutes. Russell outshined all others as he amassed a massive 34 points, 1 rebound, and 8 assists. The team beat the opponents with a double-digit lead.
After facing a loss against the Nets, Darvin Ham put out a statement in the media, claiming that the team is now done with losses. The roster indeed witnessed a resurrection on the hardwood vs. the Nets. Scoring 134-110, the team did so while shooting from the deep. Be it in terms of free throws or 3-pointers, the roster displayed elite performance. However, the question is whether James would have to praise the ‘T-Lue Clippers’ after the next matchup or not.