In need of a signature win to turn their season around, the Lakers hope they got it Sunday night against the cross-town Clippers, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Coming into yesterday’s game, the Lakers had been slumping badly, with just a 3-10 record since winning the in-season tournament. LeBron James, who sparked the victory with a game-high 25 points, said the team needs to move past the mistakes that have led to losing.
“Try to use this to try to catapult a little bit better play from us,” he said. “But it still doesn’t take away from the fact of how we’ve been playing like the last 11, 12 games. Tonight was a good start. Hopefully we can start from here and continue to build.”
The win should ease the pressure on Darvin Ham amid recent rumors that his security as Lakers’ head coach is starting to be shaky. Ham, who told reporters before the game that he doesn’t feel like he’s coaching for his job, was happy with how the team responded to adversity.
“Everybody contributed, competed at a very high level,” Ham said. “And I’m proud of them. Now the cat’s out the bag for this one, in terms of how we need to approach each and every game and everybody do it as a committee.”
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said a minutes restriction is the reason Kawhi Leonard was pulled from the game with 2:47 remaining, McMenamin states in the same story. Leonard, who recently missed four games with a left hip contusion, didn’t return until there were 17 seconds left to play. “He was close to his minutes restriction, and we got a back-to-back tomorrow,” Lue explained. “We got five games in eight days, so my thought was we need him in the game [earlier in the fourth] because the game kind of got away from us a little bit. … He had to play his extended minutes early in the quarter instead of late in the quarter. So that’s on me as a decision that I made to get him in early to come back.”
- The Clippers have been on a roll lately, but James believes it’s more attributable to Lue’s guidance than the trade for James Harden, McMenamin adds. “Nah, it’s the T-Lue Clippers,” James said. “I know T-Lue very well. It don’t take T-Lue long to make sure s–t get right. It took him five games, and they’ve been cooking since.”
- The Lakers were boosted by the return of D’Angelo Russell, who was back on the court after missing three games with a bruised tailbone, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Russell, who started 28 straight games before being moved to a reserve role, came off the bench again Sunday with 13 points and six assists. Russell left without talking to reporters, but Ham said his presence makes a difference. “Obviously, a guy that can orchestrate things, a guy that can stretch the floor, just his 3-point shooting ability and his ability to make shots,” Ham said. “You can’t have too much of that on your team. He definitely provides that.”
Trent Jr & Temple for Christian Wood & DLo.
Raps do this only if they are gonna trade Siakam. Wood is a bucket and as a starter can drop 20ppg.
You must not watch much basketball…go ahead take C. Wood and see how that works out for ya. Or you just ask one of the last 50 teams he’s played for…
Lakers don’t take that trade. Trent isn’t much better than DLo and Temple is an end-of-the-bench guy. They don’t have a better backup 5. Hayes is garbage. Wood has at least tried to pick up his defense. They’d also rather add shooters than do a 1-for-1 like that. They need better 3pt shooting.
They barely play Wood. Lakers were actually interested in Trent. But hey let Lakers do nothing and keep thinking they will make the finals with that group.
“But hey let the lakers do nothing”
Not what I said, dude. Just that the proposed trade isn’t a good fit.
Also, Wood averages 19 minutes a game. Decent amount of time for a pure backup.
I didn’t imply that you said they should do nothing.
@EonADS:
Absolutely correct about the Lakers 3 pt shooting, they’re 25th in the L even with Lebron and Price making a shade under 40% from the arc.
37 yo Temple, lol
Minutes restriction…. hahaha
Lue wanted to help DHam out, that’s what that was, similar to when Mike Malone gifted Silas a win when everyone knew what was coming with him.
And, good for them. It’s one game.
The Lakers were built to dominate the play in tournament only and nothing more. Hachimura,DLo and Hayes need to go.