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Lakers' Darvin Ham Responds to Anthony Davis' Postgame Comments: 'Agree to Disagree'

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerX.com LogoFeatured Columnist IVApril 24, 2024

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Darvin Ham of the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis #3 react against the New Orleans Pelicans during a game at the Smoothie King Center on December 31, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham brushed aside comments from star forward Anthony Davis about the team's lack of organization on the floor amid their first-round playoff series with the Denver Nuggets.

Ham told reporters he "would agree to disagree" with Davis and said he and his staff "pride ourselves on being highly efficient and organized."

Michael Corvo @michaelcorvo_

Darvin Ham said he took Anthony Davis' comments after G2 that the Lakers "have stretches when we don't know what we're doing" as "frustration", and he'll "agree to disagree" with AD. <br><br>Ham said the Lakers coaching staff prides itself on being organized. <a href="https://t.co/WtEzhYiW4I">pic.twitter.com/WtEzhYiW4I</a>

During his press conference after Monday's 101-99 loss to the Nuggets in Game 2, Davis said the Lakers "have stretches where we just don't know what we're doing on both ends of the floor."

Spectrum SportsNet @SpectrumSN

Anthony Davis: "We have stretches where we don't know what we're doing on both ends of the floor... Just got to get it right on Thursday." <a href="https://t.co/4agots9D6L">pic.twitter.com/4agots9D6L</a>

That sound you hear is the collective ringing of alarm bells in the greater Los Angeles area.

As a head coach, you never want to find yourself in a position where you have to publicly affirm you and your coaching staff are in fact very organized and detail-oriented.

This also comes after Ham led many fans to roll their eyes with a comment he made following the Lakers' 114-103 loss in Game 1. He said the team wasn't unloading its entire tactical arsenal against Nikola Jokić and the reigning NBA champions just yet.

Jovan Buha @jovanbuha

Darvin Ham says the Lakers have a couple more adjustments they're going to throw at Nikola Jokic. He added the Lakers didn't want to use all of their adjustments in Game 1.

If that sounds familiar, it should. Ham basically presented the same message after L.A. dropped the first game of the Western Conference Finals last year.

Everybody knew the Lakers were the underdogs in this series. They finished 10 games worse than the Nuggets in the standings and got swept in the regular season series.

But the first round is also exposing the gulf between Ham and his opposite number, Michael Malone.

It's not a complete coincidence Denver outscored the Lakers 32-18 in the third quarter of Game 1 and overturned a 20-point deficit in the second half of Game 2. Malone and his staff are making critical adjustments, and Los Angeles has been unable to counter.

Right now, Ham isn't giving you a reason to think anything will change on that front.