Lakers News: Darvin Ham Regrets Costly Defensive Mistake Against Mavericks

As do we all.

There are a few standout "what if?" moments from yesterday's alternating entertaining and enraging 119-115 double overtime Lakers loss to the Dallas Mavericks. 

The one that will haunt this writer's nightmares, however, might be this bonkers Luka Doncic fadeaway triple heaved while backing away from a rapidly approaching Dennis Schröder:

LUKA HITS THE CLUTCH 3 🤯 pic.twitter.com/X1oHpWcsQh

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 13, 2023

Some context: LA head coach Darvin Ham had been having his club double-team the Mavericks' lone All-Star and obvious best player often throughout the night, a method that had proven itself especially effective in the game's fourth quarter. 

But as you can see in the above clip, he had all five of his defenders remain tethered to their individual charges, ensuring that Doncic would need to only shoot over one guy once he was freed up to take a shot. Because he's Luka Doncic, he made that shot.

Ham spoke with reporters following the Lakers' latest loss, their second straight after a five-game winning streak.

Darvin ham with his takeaways from the #Lakers loss tonight. pic.twitter.com/9XqGZrx8bs

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 13, 2023

"We weren't looking to foul," Ham explained. "Felt confident in the five guys we had defending, and he did what Luka does, he made a shot. I'm kicking myself in the butt. I needed to coach a little better in that instance, we should have blitzed him... or at least forced him inside the three-point line."

"You know, it's those situations [that are] kinda chaotic -- bunch of chatter, everything's going on, you're trying to figure out matchups. We... read [the Mavericks' offense], switched anyways. So I'll take the bullet for that. That's on me. We have to be better defensively in those moments and force someone else [other than Doncic] to beat us.

In that sequence, Doncic inbounds to an expectant Spencer Dinwiddie, who promptly screens for Doncic as he hands him the rock. Russell Westbrook, a superior defender, is suddenly switched onto Dinwiddie after the pick, and opts not to come out to help Schröder. This frees up the 6'7" Doncic to shoot over Schröder, listed as 6'3" on Basketball Reference, but merely 6'1" on NBA.com, so let's split the difference and call him 6'2". LA should have blitzed.

The Mavericks would go on to outlast the Lakers finally, mercifully in the contest's second OT frame.