Los Angeles Lakers head coach, Darvin Ham, has shed some light on his decision to play LeBron James and Anthony Davis in their recent game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Lakers, who were on the second leg of a back-to-back and coming off eight days on the road, faced a crucial game against their city rivals, which had major playoff implications.
“They want to put it on the line.” Darvin Ham on LeBron and Anthony Davis deciding to play tonight. pic.twitter.com/g5TyZXWasq
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 6, 2023
The Lakers’ loss all but assured them of having to go through the play-in tournament, unless they can win their final two games and both the Clippers and Golden State Warriors lose their last two.
Coach Defends Decision to Play Injured LeBron James in Crucial Game for Lakers Playoff Hopes
Despite the Lakers being in a tough position, Ham opted to play James and Davis, who were both game-time decisions. Ham revealed that they were limited to a minutes “range” but not an official restriction. He also insisted that the Lakers’ training staff would not have allowed him to play them as much as Kawhi Leonard, who scored 25 points in 43 minutes and didn’t rest in the second half.
The decision to play James and Davis was a controversial one, given their recent injury struggles, but Ham defended his choice, saying, “We did what we had to do to give ourselves a chance to win, not only tonight but to keep our players in good standing health-wise going forward.”
Ham explained that the team had discussed throwing in the towel during a timeout with around six minutes to go and the Lakers down by 18. However, a “group decision” was made to make one more push and try to give themselves a chance to compete.
Despite the loss, Ham expressed pride in how the Lakers battled the Clippers and the Utah Jazz over the past week, despite difficult circumstances, including being stuck in two snowstorms while on the road.
While some may question Ham’s decision to play James and Davis in such a crucial game, the head coach’s priority was to give his team the best chance to win while also managing the players’ health. With the Lakers’ playoff hopes on the line, Ham felt that he had no choice but to play his star players, and he stands by his decision, saying, “we did what we had to do.”
Do or Die: Lakers’ Playoff Hopes Hang in the Balance
The Los Angeles Lakers have been struggling to find their footing this season, with injuries and inconsistent performances plaguing the team. Despite having superstar LeBron James on their roster, the Lakers find themselves in a precarious position when it comes to making the playoffs.
Currently sitting in the 7th seed in the Western Conference, the Lakers’ playoff chances are far from secure. With only a few games left in the regular season, every game is crucial for the Lakers if they hope to secure a spot in the postseason.
Their loss to the Clippers on April 5th certainly didn’t help their cause, but the Lakers still have a chance to turn things around. With players like Anthony Davis and D’Lo Russell returning from injury, the team will need to come together and play with urgency in the final stretch of the regular season.
It’s do or die for the Lakers at this point, and their fate hangs in the balance. Whether they make the playoffs or not will depend on their ability to perform under pressure and rise to the occasion when it matters most.
