Darvin Ham: ‘I didn’t come here to lose’

After their victories against the Nuggets, then the Pelicans, the Lakers thought they had launched their season. The Cavs and especially the Jazz, twice including this night, have demonstrated the opposite. With a sad record of two wins and eight losses, the Lakers are second only to the Rockets and the Magic in the ranking of the worst teams in the league.

By comparison, the Californians last year started with a balanced record of five wins for as many defeats. But this failed start does not undermine the confidence that Darvin Ham places in this team.

« Here’s what I’m going to say, write it down and quote it: ‘This is what can happen today, at the start of a change of identity that you try to force to be back at a very competitive and being consistent’. But it’s not always going to be like that. We’re going to pass. I didn’t come here to lose. They didn’t bring me back here to lose thunders the rookie coach, recruited during the off-season to replace Frank Vogel.

After all, his team has shown their best in the game over the past ten days. And his main tactical adjustment, to start Russell Westbrook on the bench, looks quite positive. Statistically for the player in any case, it’s day and night: 10 points (29%) and 4 assists on average as a starter against 19 points (51%) and 7 assists as a 6th man.

But the concerns of the Lakers, deprived of three holders this night (LeBron James, Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker), obviously go beyond the Westbrook case alone. For three games, it is clearly the defensive investment, on which the newcomer has nevertheless put priority, which raises questions: 114 points against the Cavs and above all 130 then 139 points against the Jazz.

“It looks like we’ve lost all our defensive intensity”

« It’s as if we had stopped communicating in defense in the third quarter and stopped helping each other. We can’t afford it “, Displays Anthony Davis, author of 29 points this night, but not free from any reproach in his defense against Lauri Markkanen (23 points), who feasted in penetration in this third quarter precisely.

« Shit, two wins, eight losses, that’s hard for me to swallow. Of course it can be arranged. I believe New Orleans was 1-12 or something last year. They came back and continued. We have to do it together. The attack has found its rhythm. Looks like we’ve lost all our defensive intensity. And that’s what kills us “, Continues “AD” by citing rightly the record of his former team, which had managed to qualify for the playoffs despite its disaster departure.

« One has to go through difficult times in this process. […] When the tide turns, when we get too comfortable and we start complaining about certain problems that aren’t necessarily problems – problems specific to winning teams – I want to be able to think about these moments “, is already projecting an optimistic Darvin Ham.

The latter explains that he does not want anyone around him “ with a defeatist mentality ». « I don’t want anyone around me who isn’t competitive, who is selfish. We have to be on the same wavelength at all times, in the good, the bad and the rest “, Ends the technician whose team faces the Clippers on Wednesday, before a series of affordable home games (Nets, and especially Kings and Pistons).