The Lakers suffered a heavy defeat to the Heat at home, and this game is very likely to be a major turning point for the Lakers this season. When the game entered the final quarter and the outcome of the game was no longer in doubt, the Lakers' home court actually sounded the sound of "heat come on". It was undoubtedly a great disappointment and painful experience for the loyal fans of the Lakers, whose patience seemed to be reaching its limit at this moment.
In this game, the Lakers' performance was arguably the worst of the season. In the first quarter alone, they had 10 turnovers while missing a shot from beyond the three-point line. With 21 turnovers and just 4-of-30 three-pointers, such a poor performance is difficult to win in the current NBA arena unless the opponent also plays badly.
The Lakers' players were just as harrowing on the court. James looked very frustrated in this game, as he shot just 6-of-18 from the field and none of his 6-pointers from three-point range, finishing with just 12 points, six rebounds and nine assists. For such a great player, it was undoubtedly his worst game of the season. In addition, Anthony Davis struggled on the field for 43 minutes but still failed to give the team any hope of victory.
The Lakers have made frequent changes to their starting lineup this season, and this game was no exception. Reaves was promoted to the starting lineup alongside James, Prince and Reddish, and this is the Lakers' 10th starting lineup of the season. However, Reeves seemed a little uncomfortable when it came to returning to the starting lineup.
The Lakers are 3-9 in their last twelve games, and those three wins include defeats over the Spurs, Hornets and Thunder. Aside from the victory over the Thunder, the Lakers didn't beat any high-value opponents. After the midseason, the Lakers' form continued to decline, which has a lot to do with head coach Darvin Darv's rotation adjustments.
The Lakers' use of Russell has also caused controversy. Russell's failure to regain form in time led Ham to decide to put him on the bench. Also, when Russell came off the bench, Reeves wasn't put in the starting lineup.
Early in the season, Ham tried to form a backcourt duo for Russell and Reaves, but it didn't work out well. Later, Reeves gradually regained form and rhythm as a substitute. However, that doesn't mean Reeves should always be a substitute. When Russell was deployed off the bench, the Lakers' starting lineup lacked a key playmaking point.
In the Lakers' win over the Thunder, James scored 40 points alone, but the victory was extremely fluke. Ham's starting lineup gave him some confidence, but then the Lakers' record went all the way down.
There is also dissatisfaction within the Lakers with Ham's rotation strategy. According to reports, the conflict with Ham within the Lakers' locker room is deepening, mainly focused on rotation and tactical adjustments. And Ham's questioning of the outside and inside seems to be just repeating that "we have to be healthy to maintain continuity", which seems to imply that the Lakers' problems are all caused by injuries.
The reports after the loss to the Heat could be a warning to Ham from the Lakers that there is dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs and a desire for change within the team. Ham has two and a half years left on his contract, but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to lead the Lakers out of their current predicament, and it is unknown how long Lakers management will tolerate it.
Ham, as a rookie coach, has had a lot of ups and downs with the Lakers despite his accomplishments with the Bucks. From the initial expectation to the current doubt, whether Ham can adjust his strategy, resolve internal contradictions, and lead the Lakers out of the predicament has become the focus of attention from the outside world. What do fans think about this, please leave a message in the comment area to discuss!
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