After a spurt during which they won 12 of 16 games, including their in-season tournament title game win, the Lakers have gotten into a funk. They’re on a four-game losing streak, and with a 15-14 record, they have quickly fallen from fourth place to ninth place in the Western Conference.
The team needs better 3-point shooting, perimeter defense and big man depth. However, it is almost at full strength after a number of minor and moderate injuries over the first several weeks of the season, and therefore, it is running out of excuses.
Throughout social media, plenty of Lakers fans are blaming head coach Darvin Ham for the team’s woes. According to them, Ham’s substitution patterns and lineup combinations are the real reasons the team is just barely over .500 and possibly about to fall below that mark.
Never mind the fact that Ham got recognition and praise late last season when L.A. sprinted from a sub-.500 record in February all the way to the Western Conference Finals. The coach was also praised for his decision to move forward Cam Reddish into the starting lineup last month, which momentarily ignited the team until a couple of weeks ago.
Ham hire is up there with the Russ trade
— Juan 🇸🇻 (@LOLL________) December 19, 2023
Watching #DarvinHam with his hands in his pockets while #Lakers lose to bad teams. #FireDarvinHam pic.twitter.com/7rDVNKocj7
— Ramiro Romo (@rromomerc) December 21, 2023
DLo: "Yeah, that's a problem as well." (On if players don't know their set roles)
Vando: "I don't know what I'm on to be honest." (On if he's on a minutes restriction)
LeBron: "We had a lineup out there that hasn't really played together."
Even players question Darvin Ham pic.twitter.com/Zc01qku7XS
— Dom 🏀🏀 (@DominickNBA) December 22, 2023
4 game losing streak, basically a .500 team after 30 games…I hear a lot about the players not living up to expectations/contracts. The real issue in my humble opinion is the coach. Darvin Ham can’t figure out a rotation, can’t figure out an efficient offense, and can’t motivate…
— BG The Media Destroyer (@Bgmegamanzero1) December 22, 2023
Darvin Ham even got reporters pissed. Can’t make this up https://t.co/xS9mfIsoTR
— 🎭 (@MaskedInLA) December 22, 2023
Us trying to make sense of what Darvin ham is saying after every post game press https://t.co/ekzMq5P4Ml pic.twitter.com/YnnWAU4Bkg
— 🎗NBA•Fan🎗 (@Klutch_23) December 22, 2023
Darvin HAM DOES NOT CALL A TIME OUT NOT EVEN IF HIS SUPERSTAR IS INJURED. pic.twitter.com/0emuATfLWt
— MANOLO (@Manoel797) December 21, 2023
Ham leaves LeBron on the floor with guys that CAN'T hit shots. How is he supposed to have a positive +/- when guys chuck bricks around him. Hell, he has cutters that can't catch passes or make layups.
LA needs sensible rotations.
If Darvin Ham can't do the job, he has to go. pic.twitter.com/onUwrXdz9M
— Michael Brumagin (@MBrumagin) December 22, 2023
Darvin Ham with his “rubik’s cube” during this “discovery process”… https://t.co/X8attSwU8c pic.twitter.com/WuzZLUQu8Q
— AO (@worldofao) December 21, 2023
FIRE DARVIN HAM otherwise you are not serious about giving this team any chance this year.
Period.
— Letting Go (@ProvideContext) December 19, 2023
Darvin Ham has completely misused and neglected 2 of the most important Lakers. pic.twitter.com/ktoNQ10aN9
— JAKE (@KingJakeVII) December 19, 2023
Darvin Ham won’t be fired anytime soon. Especially after just winning the Cup. Dude is here to stay. The Lakers only hope is he actually learns from his mistakes and smartens up. Or they’re simply stuck with another mediocre head coach. For the 12th year in a row. pic.twitter.com/CPHhW7IIRu
— Hollywood Holguin 🎃 (@HollywoodHOLG) December 22, 2023
