Darvin Ham confident LA Lakers will ‘turn the corner’: "I didn’t come here to lose"
Darvin Ham and the LA Lakers haven't had the best start this season. They currently have the second-worst record in the Western Conference with a 2-8 record.
The Lakers suffered their eighth loss of the season after the red-hot Utah Jazz outperfromed them. LA was without LeBron James, Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker IV. The absence of the three starters gave the Jazz the chance to take advantage of the short-handed Lakers squad.
Ham, meanwhile, remains positive in his thinking. He believes that the Lakers will be able to turn things around and has remained optimistic:
"It's not always going to be like this. We're gonna turn the corner. I didn't come here to lose."
Darvin Ham with a pretty defiant stance after a 2-8 start, saying he can't abide any defeatist attitudes and he's always going to see the glass half full: "It's not always going to be like this. We're gonna turn the corner. I didn't come here to lose."
In his first season as head coach, Darvin Ham was handed a team that was oddly constructed by the front office. He's also tasked with fixing the disastrous results that the Lakers had from last season. For a first-year coach, Ham's job isn't easy. It's a good thing for him, he's been able to make the Lakers a defensive threat this year.
But the Lakers haven't fully figured out what to do on offense. The team is at the bottom of the NBA when it comes to offensive ratings. It could be because they lack shooters in their team and it has made it difficult for them to keep up with their matchups. This is an issue that needs to be addressed by the front office.
The Lakers offense this season:
— 30th in offensive rating
— 30th in FG%
— 30th in 3P%
They have the league’s 5th best defensive rating. https://t.co/sZIyvvgBZR
The Lakers will play against the LA Clippers on Nov. 9, hoping to add a win to their record.
Also read: Darvin Ham hints at LA Lakers role players not doing their jobs after loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers: “We need to get Russ help, get Bron help, get AD help”
The only one doing their job in the Lakers is Darvin Ham
The Lakers are looking to get back to the playoffs after their disappointing 2021-22 campaign. But so far, they haven't moved the needle in their favor with the way they're playing. Through 10 games this season, Darvin Ham has been true to his word.
When LA hired the former NBA journeyman, he insisted that he'd turn things around, especially on defense. He has stayed true to his word and has improved the team's defense. The Lakers are currently fifth in defensive net rating, far from their ranking last season, which was 21st in the league.
The players haven't really done their best. Although they show that they try hard in every game, with the way the roster is built, it's simply impossible to get wins. They lack shooting, floor spacing and a deep bench unit if they want to compete in the postseason.
All the blame should be thrown on the front office for what they've done. General manager Rob Pelika isn't willing to trade future picks to salvage the Lakers' season. If they don't get the players that they need to succeed, they'll end up wasting LeBron's twilight years in the NBA.
Also read: Darvin Ham demands more from LA Lakers bench unit: “They gotta step up… Help our big dogs”