Lakers: Darvin Ham Defends Choice To Not Use Timeout In Last Sequence Vs. Sixers
Your Los Angeles Lakers could easily be on a two-game winning streak had some late-game moments gone their way, rather than their current three-game losing streak. LA has lost its last two games by an average of 2.5 points.
On Sunday night, at home against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers had possession down a point with 15 seconds remaining. Head coach Darvin Ham opted not to call a timeout, either at the start of LA's possession or when point guard Russell Westbrook lost the ball for a bit.
That choice may have cost Los Angeles the game, as Westbrook didn't even manage to get a shot off before time expired, though he asserted afterward that Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid was holding him back from being able to get a shot off, the NBA itself decreed that any contact was incidental.
Following the 113-112 loss, Ham took to the podium to explain his thinking to gathered media members.
"Down one, you got one of our best playmakers to the rim," Ham said. "One of our best finishers at the rim, has the ball with Embiid standing in front of him. I'll take that scenario every day of the week and twice on Sunday. We just got to finish the play. Make a harder, stronger move to the rim. That's it. It's as simple as that. And it just didn't work out. It is what it is."
"That's a great ball club over there. It sucks to lose these close games like this. You have the opportunity to beat some really good ball clubs in Dallas [Thursday] and Philly tonight but my hat's off to them.
"We were right there. As disappointed as I am, I'm not discouraged. We just gotta be better."
LA has its next chance to be better (and to stave off a four-game losing streak) tonight at 7:30 p.m. against the visiting Houston Rockets.
