Darvin Ham reflects on LeBron James' absence following loss to Grizzlies: "Arguably the best player to ever play... You’re going to feel his absence"
Darvin Ham claimed the LA Lakers are going to feel LeBron James' absence following the team's 121-109 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. It was LA's first game without LeBron after his latest injury setback, which has reportedly sidelined him indefinitely.
The Lakers struggled in their half-court offense, committing 26 turnovers with their floor general sitting on the bench. Ham didn't shy away from admitting James' importance but also remained optimistic about the team taking care of things in the four-time MVP's absence, saying (via Mike Trudell):
“You got arguably the best player to ever play the game, you’re going to feel his absence. That’s for damn sure. But we have capable players at all positions. It’s just a matter of us slowing down … and having a rhythm to what we’re doing.”
Ham on missing LeBron: “You got arguably the best player to ever play the game, you’re going to feel his absence. That’s for damn sure. But we have capable players at all positions. It’s just a matter of us slowing down … and having a rhythm to what we’re doing.”
The LA Lakers started the season top-heavy, over-relying on LeBron James and Anthony Davis to produce the goods. However, they have made significant roster upgrades at the trade deadline, acquiring D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Mo Bamba. They also traded for Rui Hachimura a few weeks before the deadline.
LA got younger and added more shooting and size, giving them the tools to be an efficient two-way team. They also look more competent if either LeBron and AD are out or both are misfiring on certain occasions.
LA Lakers take home moral victories in loss to Grizzlies without LeBron James
The LA Lakers entered the game against the Memphis Grizzlies as the underdogs. Despite their offensive struggles, the Lakers played hard and gave themselves a legitimate shot at winning the contest. The Lakers had 13 turnovers at halftime, but they still managed to take a three-point lead into the break.
They did an excellent job defensively until that stage, outrebounding their opponents and successfully challenging high-percentage shots. However, Ja Morant dug into his MVP-caliber form in the third quarter, going off for 28 of his 39 points during that stretch. LA had no answer for his exploits, and they failed to limit their turnovers, leading to their blowout loss.
ANTHONY DAVIS MAY BE THE ONLY PLAYER WHO CAN MAKE A DEFENSIVE PLAY LIKE THIS 🔒
https://t.co/KxcR44HsSa
The Lakers needed the poise that LeBron James brought to the table at that stage. Most of their turnovers were unforced errors. However, that was bound to happen with D'Angelo Russell also sidelined.
The Lakers were left with Dennis Schroder as their only true point guard. Schroder had an off night too, which made things worse for Darvin Ham's team. He committed a team-high six turnovers and scored 10 points on 11 attempts.
Nevertheless, the LA Lakers team showed their depth, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see them come back strong and make adjustments moving forward in LeBron James' absence.