Lakers News: When the “Final Straw” for Darvin Ham in LA Reportedly Happened

Ham's job was in jeopardy at this moment.

Apr 29, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham in the third quarter / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

For the second season in a row, the Denver Nuggets bounced the Los Angeles Lakers in the postseason. 

While the Lakers ended their 11-game losing streak to the Nuggets in Game 4 to avoid a sweep of their first round playoff series and force a Game 5, the Lakers failed to force a Game 6 back in L.A. Just like that, the underwhelming 2023-24 season is over for the Purple and Gold. 

As the dust settles, the question of what's next for the Lakers looms large. The spotlight is now on Lakers head coach Darvin Ham, with many pointing the finger at him. This time, the criticism towards Ham is warranted. 

Ham's two seasons at the helm have been filled with a lack of accountability, odd coaching decisions, and odd rotations and starting lineups. That's just the tip of the iceberg. While there's a lot we can point to and unpack regarding Ham and reasons to fire him, we may not need to look too far. 

According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, who writes for The Athletic and The Stadium, the 'final straw' for Ham may have been the Lakers' blowing a 20-point lead in Game 2 against the Nuggets. 

Charania mentioned it in his piece following L.A.'s Game 5 loss, writing, "The Lakers' blown 20-point lead in Game 2 of the Denver series served as a final straw of sorts." 

The Lakers completely collapsed in the second half of Game 2. The team held a 20-point lead in the third quarter before turnovers, second-chance opportunities, and Ham's inability to call a timeout to stop momentum bit them in the butt. 

It's not all on Ham, of course, as we could point to the players on the court; however, Ham failed to use everything in his tool bag to rally the troops and stop any momentum Denver created for themselves up to the collapse. We could point to a million reasons why Ham should no longer be the head coach for the purple and gold, but the collapse in Game 2 could be the final nail in the coffin for the 50-year-old. 

The collapse and many other factors contribute to why L.A. may seek a new head coach for the third time in the last five years. 

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