Originally published by LakersNation.com
First-year head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers Darvin Ham has hung his hat on the defensive end with the new-look Purple and Gold. Not only have the Lakers transformed defensively but Ham has also increased the level of overall buy-in from stars like Anthony Davis.
With the Lakers going from one of the oldest teams last season to a young and vibrant group that is hungry to win, the energy with L.A has increased with Ham at the helm.
As the Lakers continue to improve and rack up wins, the team finally now has something to celebrate. Ham was recently asked if sometimes they take the celebrating too far, but he said he doesn’t have a problem with it as long as they are maintaining their high level of play.
“Yeah man, just playing hard, playing together, playing smart,” Ham said. “But we have to have fun as well. It’s still a fun game to play. If you’re lucky enough to play it at this level, I’m not one of those coaches that, as long as we’re not disrespecting the other team, our opponents or our teammates for that matter by being silly, but there’s nothing wrong with pure and genuine enthusiasm. You see that when things are going well, so I was totally happy to see them out there enjoying themselves. You tend to play harder, you tend to be more locked in and more engaged when you’re having success. Guys got to see some shots go in and we’ve been all year defending at a very high level but have been on the short end of the stick offensively so to speak.
“But that last game, I was thrilled to see that. I want them to enjoy it and having been out there myself once upon a time wanting to do that and make highlight plays, you’re out there with your teammates having fun and you’re in the thick of the game when there’s a major play whether it’s a block or steal of big rebound or a defensive stop, good pass, good finish. They have the right, with the amount of work they put it, to go out there and play enthusiastically and enjoy the game.”
It is worth noting that the Lakers have already received two technical fouls for bench celebrating excessively and stepping out onto the court, violating a new NBA rule. Funny enough, both techs came after Lakers guard Lonnie Walker IV postered his opponent.
The Lakers faithful knows not to get ahead of themselves after the team has found a rhythm winning some games, but the excitement and high energy that L.A has shown is a good sign for Ham’s squad moving forward.
Ham praises Davis for leadership growth
Heading into the 2022-23 NBA season, the Lakers faithful questioned if Davis could stay healthy.
While Davis has been dealing with some back pain to begin the season, the 6-foot-10-inch big man has made strides in his playing ability as a center for the Lakers. Ham has also publicly praised Davis for his growth as a leader and how he handles injury management.
If the Lakers want to continue to take leaps to win a championship, it can only be possible if Davis can stay healthy for the majority of the regular season and of course the postseason. Ham and Davis both understand that, so it is good to see they are putting in the work to manage his back to avoid it becoming a bigger issue.
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First-year head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers Darvin Ham has hung his hat on the defensive end with the new-look Purple and Gold. Not only have the Lakers transformed defensively but Ham has also increased the level of overall buy-in from stars like Anthony Davis.
With the Lakers going from one of the oldest teams last season to a young and vibrant group that is hungry to win, the energy with L.A has increased with Ham at the helm.
As the Lakers continue to improve and rack up wins, the team finally now has something to celebrate. Ham was recently asked if sometimes they take the celebrating too far, but he said he doesn’t have a problem with it as long as they are maintaining their high level of play.
“Yeah man, just playing hard, playing together, playing smart,” Ham said. “But we have to have fun as well. It’s still a fun game to play. If you’re lucky enough to play it at this level, I’m not one of those coaches that, as long as we’re not disrespecting the other team, our opponents or our teammates for that matter by being silly, but there’s nothing wrong with pure and genuine enthusiasm. You see that when things are going well, so I was totally happy to see them out there enjoying themselves. You tend to play harder, you tend to be more locked in and more engaged when you’re having success. Guys got to see some shots go in and we’ve been all year defending at a very high level but have been on the short end of the stick offensively so to speak.
“But that last game, I was thrilled to see that. I want them to enjoy it and having been out there myself once upon a time wanting to do that and make highlight plays, you’re out there with your teammates having fun and you’re in the thick of the game when there’s a major play whether it’s a block or steal of big rebound or a defensive stop, good pass, good finish. They have the right, with the amount of work they put it, to go out there and play enthusiastically and enjoy the game.”
It is worth noting that the Lakers have already received two technical fouls for bench celebrating excessively and stepping out onto the court, violating a new NBA rule. Funny enough, both techs came after Lakers guard Lonnie Walker IV postered his opponent.
The Lakers faithful knows not to get ahead of themselves after the team has found a rhythm winning some games, but the excitement and high energy that L.A has shown is a good sign for Ham’s squad moving forward.
Ham praises Davis for leadership growth
Heading into the 2022-23 NBA season, the Lakers faithful questioned if Davis could stay healthy.
While Davis has been dealing with some back pain to begin the season, the 6-foot-10-inch big man has made strides in his playing ability as a center for the Lakers. Ham has also publicly praised Davis for his growth as a leader and how he handles injury management.
If the Lakers want to continue to take leaps to win a championship, it can only be possible if Davis can stay healthy for the majority of the regular season and of course the postseason. Ham and Davis both understand that, so it is good to see they are putting in the work to manage his back to avoid it becoming a bigger issue.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!