Who honestly expected the Los Angeles Lakers to put themselves in the position they’re in right now after they started this season 2-10?
At that time, many dismissed them as a disaster in progress for the second straight season, despite the presence of arguably the best superstar duo in the NBA in LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Buy Lakers TicketsBut after a very poor start, multiple key injuries and plenty of midseason personnel changes, the Lakers assured themselves of finishing the schedule with a winning record when they got past the Phoenix Suns, 121-107, on Friday.
At worst, they will finish with the eighth seed in the Western Conference and be in the play-in tournament, and they still have a shot at bypassing the play-in tournament altogether. If L.A. does indeed make the playoffs, no one will want to face it in the first round.
Still, Darvin Ham made it clear that his goal, and by extension, the team’s goal, for this season is to win the NBA championship.
Darvin Ham is happy the Lakers overcame their 2-10 start but he signed up to win titles.
“I’ve had a taste for the most positive drug you can use, and that’s winning. And I’ve done it twice. And that’s why they hired me. Cause this city, this org., they want more of it.” pic.twitter.com/6WWkMYAzjy
— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) April 8, 2023
Ham was an assistant on the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks team that won it all, and he was a bench player on the 2004 world champion Detroit Pistons.
The Lakers have a very long way to go if they’re to become world champions this summer, but with a much better roster than they had just two months ago, as well as the unusual parity in the West, anything is possible right now.
