Darvin Ham likened the Los Angeles Lakers defense to the 2004 Detroit Pistons after their Game 4 win vs. the Golden State Warriors on Monday.
Per ClutchPoints’ Michael Corvo’s tweet: “Darvin Ham on the Lakers defense: “Just the relentlessness, man, it makes me feel fuzzy and warm.” Ham said the Lakers’ D reminds him of the Detroit Pistons teams he won a title with in ‘04.
Darvin Ham on the Lakers defense: “Just the relentlessness, man, it makes me feel fuzzy and warm.”
Ham said the Lakers’ D reminds him of the Detroit Pistons teams he won a title with in ‘04.
— michael corvo (@michaelcorvo_) May 9, 2023
The comparison isn’t necessarily far-fetched, as the Lakers were solid on their defensive end in Game 4, prompting Ham to draw comparisons. The 2004 Pistons were led admirably by Ben Wallace who, alongside Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups, was a fearsome defensive unit.
Detroit was one of the teams then who boasted of quality defense and they set records in the ’04 season for the lowest opponent PPG. Such was their dominance that the Lakers that season failed to make 90 points in all of their games in the Finals save for Game 2. The feat is even more impressive, considering LA had Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in their ranks.
Now, the present-day Lakers unit may not be as amazing as the Pistons of ’04, but they have been impressive on the defense aspect of the game — especially against a relentless offensive unit such as the Warriors. Ham will hope that the Lakers will continue to do that for the remainder of their postseason run.
The Lakers Will Need To Keep Their Defense Game Strong To Get Past The Warriors
While the Lakers have been tidy on the defensive end, they will need to stay consistent on that front. With Ham pretty much a defense-first coach he’s done exceedingly well to help the side shore up on their D-game.
However, the 3-1 trail means Golden State will come out swinging and their shooters getting hot would mean doom for the Lakers, even if they were to attempt to contain the likes of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
And for the Lakers, their defense was what won them their championship during the bubble, and their opponents sans the Warriors in the upcoming rounds, are pretty much offensive powerhouses. Whether they can play D as well as the 2004 Pistons to win a title remains to be seen.
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