The Los Angeles Lakers have had an inconsistent regular season and are reeling in ninth place in the Western Conference standings. Head coach Darvin Ham has been under the microscope since the start of the year, and reports claimed that he was on the hot seat.
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Ham has often been criticized for not calling timeouts and making adjustments when the opposing team is on a hot streak. His inaction has cost the Lakers multiple games, but he hasn’t changed his in-game coaching style. Ahead of his team’s home game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Ham was asked about his tactics regarding timeouts and substitutions. Per Jordan Buha, he said,
“I try to trust my players to the highest level. And it’s sometimes predicated on how a team is making a run against us. If we’re committing careless turnovers or just something it’s self-inflicted, then yeah, obviously, you want to try to let your team figure that out. If something that they’re just scorching and the other team is just going crazy from the 3-point line or just getting downhill constantly, then yeah, we’re trying to regroup.”
Ham claimed some coaches panic when an opponent scores two baskets in a row and call a timeout to make substitutions. However, he doesn’t feel the need to react immediately and has faith in his players to figure it out on the fly.
Ham’s philosophy is risky because if his players fail to handle the situation, they will be left with a mountain to climb. That has happened a few times this season, which is why the Lakers are in ninth place in the Western Conference standings.
The Lakers still figuring out their best starting lineup
Sixty-five games into their regular season schedule, Darvin Ham and the Lakers are unsure about their best starting five and second unit. Per NBA.com, the Lakers have fielded 360 different five-man lineups, but none have stood out. Their most frequently used starting five of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Taurean Prince, and Austin Reaves has played in 31 games for 7.5 minutes on average.
None of the Lakers’ five-man units that have featured over ten times has a +/- average better than 1.6. Injuries have also contributed to the Lakers’ inconsistency in fielding the same units regularly. However, even with all their player fit and available, it’s unclear what the Lakers’ starting five will look like, and which five players will play the most minutes together.
The Lakers have failed to build an identity this season, which has cost them dearly. They are trying to eek their way into the playoffs, but it’s hard to envision them venturing deep given the uncertainty surrounding their coach’s tactics and player personnel.
