Darvin Ham anticipates that the Lakers will overcome the “tough situation” they find themselves in.
After losing to the Golden State Warriors in their final home game of the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers wasted an opportunity to move up in the standings for the playoffs.
LeBron James was not at full strength due to flu-like symptoms, and Anthony Davis was ruled out prior to tipoff due to headaches and nausea, leaving Los Angeles shorthanded. But the Lakers had to win this game in order to stay out of the Play-In Tournament.
Now that Golden State has the tiebreaker, Los Angeles may drop to the 10th spot. In order to qualify for the playoffs, head coach Darvin Ham and the team may need to win two away games.
Despite the long odds, Ham expects his team to bounce back in their final two regular season games. “If we think we are as competitive as I think we are and then we really look within, yeah, it’s a difficult situation, but it’s not impossible,” Ham said.
“Again, we just need to do what we’ve always done, look at the things, and every team is not going to be like Golden State offensively, but just look within ourselves and see how bad we want it. Just come ready to work. That’s it. It’s not a mystery or secret formula. If you are a competitor and you have to be to make it to this level, whether you’re a player, coach, executive, owner, whoever. If you are a true competitor, then you’ll make the best of a tough situation, and so I expect us to do that.”
Ham also emphasized what he wants the players to focus on the rest of the way. “Just be in the moment. That’s all you have to do. Yesterday is yesterday, tomorrow is far. Be in the moment. Just lock in on the mission at hand and that’s to attack this game with as much ferocity as possible.
“That’s all you can do and that’s all I tell my players to do, stay in the moment. Don’t worry about standings, don’t worry about this, that and the third. Just stay in the moment and do whatever we have to do, heavy lifting wise, be ready to do it as a group.”
Ham’s platitudes have become a common refrain, but now’s the time for the Lakers to step up and show they’re ready for high-stakes basketball games.
Prior to the Warriors victory, the Lakers appeared to have a strong chance of advancing. Austin Reaves acknowledged that he gets distracted by the standings but that winning games is still his top priority.
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