Lakers News: Darvin Ham Commends Lakers' Competitive Spirit In Fourth Quarter, Despite What Happened In OT

The Lakers did mount a fourth quarter comeback Friday, only to run out of steam in OT.

Your Los Angeles Lakers were trailing big even late into the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers. Philly led by as much as 18 points in the frame, but ultimately L.A. came roaring back to force overtime. The Lakers couldn't quite wrap things up in the extra period, and would eventually fall 133-122, but head coach Darvin Ham made a point to stress that he was proud of his club's fight late.

"We competed our behind off and didn't quit." Darvin Ham on the #Lakers fight down the stretch and AD's aggression in the fourth. pic.twitter.com/mtmokEEkDC

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) December 10, 2022

"We survived some unfortunate calls by the officials -- I'm not one to blame them, just some of those foul calls were unfortunate -- us turning the ball over [in] some different segments of the game [also hurt]," Ham noted. "But we can get better from this. I told the team, as disappointed as I am that we didn't get the win, I still can have a good meal and sleep like a baby tonight because of the way we competed." 

"We did not quit, we did not give up," Ham continued. "There was a point in the game where we could've just folded our tent. We kept scratching away, kept digging deep, kept making plays, one stop after another one, and put ourselves in a position to win the game. Unfortunately we missed the free throws [from Austin Reaves and Anthony Davis at the end of regulation that could have given L.A. the win], missed some layups [in overtime] had some threes rim in and out [in overtime], but again our guys fought, they competed, they were together. I'm not upset or distraught, just disappointed, because we fought our way back into it, had a chance right there to win it. Couldn't quite seal the deal, and my hat's off to Philly."

Los Angeles is hoping to return to the winners' circle tonight, and is in the midst of its final road game on its current trip, against the Detroit Pistons, right now on Spectrum SportsNet.