“Fire the coach”: Fans want Darvin Ham axed after Pelicans defeat Lakers despite LeBron James heroics

It isn’t the first time and probably won’t be the last for us to hear the Los Angeles Lakers’ fans calling out on the Head Coach, Darvin Ham, for not making the proper calls.

As fans roar on, “Fire the coach” echoed through the arena after the devastating 129-109 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on New Year’s Eve, despite Lebron James’ effort to send the game to overtime.

Lakers fans want Darvin Ham fired

The LA Lakers go through another disheartening defeat that marked the fourth consecutive loss this month (Dec. 2023), bringing their record to 17-17 heading into the new year.

Although, LeBron ‘The King’ James put up a stellar performance against the Pelicans, contributing the team with 34 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists. The Lakers still couldn’t overcome their shooting struggles from beyond the arc, going 10-for-32 compared to the Pelicans’ 17-for-34.

Facing another loss after the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road, the fans were enraged over the unconventional calls made by the Head Coach of the Lakers, Darvin Ham.

Fans questioned Ham’s decision-making, particularly in adjusting personnel to capitalize on the hot hands.

Fans commented on twitter clarifying that the GOAT (pointing to ‘The King’) needs more help on the court.

Particularly the fact of sidelining Gabe Vincent and Austin Reaves and not keeping in the starting 5, made the fans more furious with Ham’s decisions.

LeBron James performance in Lakers loss to Pelicans

To close the year of 2023, the Lakers had to face a tough challenge against the New Orleans Pelicans, and despite LeBron James’ remarkable effort, they still succumbed to a 129-109 defeat.

As the Pelicans started off with a dominating start, scoring a season-high of 42 points in the first quarter and maintaining a double-digit lead throughout the game.

LeBron’s remarkable shooting accuracy from beyond the arc was also exhibited in tonight’s game as he was able to hit back-to-back threes to shorten the Pelican’s lead to single digits. However, such efforts were not enough to stop the Pelicans as they too, had their sharpshooters like Herb Jones and CJ McCollum.

As LeBron tried to hype up his teammates and create more open shots for the hot hands, the leader could only get Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves, both to contribute only 20 points each. Unfortunately, the Lakers’ endeavor wasn’t enough for the Pelicans’ efficient three-point shooting display.

LeBron, alongside Anthony Davis, initiated a late surge in the 4th quarter, cutting the lead to 110-99 with a powerful jump hook from Davis.

However, Jose Alvarado’s impactful steals for the Pelicans slowly shrunken the Lakers’ momentum, pushing the lead back to 16 points and prompting a crucial timeout.

Despite LeBron’s commendable efforts through-out the 4 quarters, the Lakers still fell short even to the final seconds, amplifying the challenges faced by the team in their quest for a comeback win.

Here’s what LeBron James had to say during the post-game interview, “We have to figure it out and get better for sure.”

Can ‘The King’ carry the Los Angeles Lakers just as he did with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016?
Let us know your thoughts down below!