Video: Coach Darvin Ham shows LA Lakers big-3’s hustle play during win against Bucks in the locker room
LA Lakers coach Darvin Ham showed the team's big three's hustle play in the 133-129 win over the Bucks on Friday in the locker room. The Lakers were up three with just over a minute left in the game when Russell Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis produced a highlight reel on the same possession.
It started with Westbrook diving for a loose ball which James recovered, drove to the basket and set up Davis for an easy dunk. In a locker room video uploaded by the Lakers' YouTube channel, coach Ham showed a clip of that possession to the players again, describing it as "Lakers basketball."
"Our three big dogs," said Ham. "Don't give up on the play. Keep the ball alive. Boom! Follow it down, our three big dogs, play unselfishly. That's Lakers basketball right there."
The game was in a crunch situation at that stage. The LA Lakers needed to get a stop and extend their lead as the Bucks kept hitting timely shots. That possession saw the Lakers take a five-point lead, which proved crucial towards the end of the contest. Westbrook diving for a loose ball set the tone for the Lakers defensively in the clutch as they got their execution right and closed the game with ease.
LA Lakers big three coming along at a crucial juncture
The LA Lakers' big three of Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis and LeBron James were deemed one of the worst fits on the court a couple of months ago. However, they seem to have turned things around.
Westbrook's move to the bench seems to have done the trick. He has been efficient on both ends of the floor. The new role has helped Westbrook look more comfortable in the Lakers system, helping him regain some of his lost confidence.
It allowed him to handle the rock with LeBron and AD on the floor, which wasn't the case when he started. The three produced arguably their best game as teammates during the team's 133-129 win over the Bucks on Friday.
They displayed solid chemistry regardless of who was on the floor. Westbrook and James ran plenty of pick-and-roll action with Davis, while they also seemed to gel well with the latter off the floor. The big three were engaged defensively, which inspired their teammates to play with more intensity on that end.
Westbrook and James produced 11 assists each and committed zero turnovers, putting on a clinical effort offensively for the team. That was crucial in the Lakers securing a difficult road win over a title favorite like Milwaukee.
If the LA Lakers' big three continue to thrive together, the team could build on their surprising run during the remaining five games of their East Coast road trip.
Also read: Anthony Davis reveals conversation with Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers fuelled his performance once again: "Hey, AD, man, I need thirty tonight"