Darvin Ham Thinks Lakers Missing Rotational Players Is A Bigger Loss Than Heat Missing Jimmy Butler

Darvin Ham is blaming injuries for the Lakers' recent struggles despite opponents missing star players.

4 Min Read

Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers were no match for the Miami Heat in a 96-110 loss, one that’s dropped them below .500 with a 17-18 record on the season. Darvin Ham has been feeling the heat from the Lakers fanbase with this loss increasing the temperature. He claims this loss was due to the Lakers missing rotational players hurting their team more than the Heat were hurt by the absence of star Jimmy Butler.

“Darvin Ham just said that the Lakers missing multiple rotation players is more impactful than them missing a “big dog” (in response to a question about the Heat missing Jimmy Butler).”

The Lakers were without D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, and Rui Hachimura on the night.

This argument cannot work anymore. The Lakers are not the only team in the NBA restricted by injuries. The Dallas Mavericks stayed over .500 despite missing multiple players around Luka Doncic, primarily Kyrie Irving. Even Luka has missed games but the Mavericks are 20-15 instead of being below .500.

We’ve heard LeBron cite injuries as a problem earlier in the season as well. After a point, you have to make do with the situation you’re in. Injuries will keep coming and going, with teams around the NBA finding ways to adjust to it. The Lakers haven’t been able to, and it’s clear that people on the team not named Darvin Ham realize that injuries cannot be an excuse anymore.


Anthony Davis And Austin Reaves Refuse To Blame Injuries For The Lakers Struggles

Anthony Davis had a sensational game tonight, dropping 29 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, five blocks, and three steals. He left his all on the court and emphasized that the team cannot blame injuries on the roster for their struggles.

“We got outworked tonight. It’s a little bit of everything right now and if we keep on this trend, it’s not going to be good for us. It’s kinda obvious we need to figure it out sooner rather than later. Guys being out, that’s not an excuse. There’s no excuses for us.”

Even Austin Reaves, who was promoted to the starting lineup after a stint as the Lakers sixth man, made it clear that the Lakers cannot use the lack of continuity due to injuries as an excuse for being under .500.

“We can’t use that as an excuse. We gotta be better as a team.”

LeBron James refused to speak to the media after his 12-point outing, arguably his worst performance of the season so far.

The players want to take accountability, but the job of breaking down the zone defense that the Heat played for almost the entire night falls with Ham. It’s his job as the coach to put his players in a position to be competitive. Shooting struggles cannot be rectified by a coach, but there needs to be more offensive creativity for the Lakers to have a chance at making the playoffs.

The Lakers have the fifth-worst offensive rating in the NBA (112.4) this season. A trade could fix that, but if a game-changer like Zach LaVine and Dejounte Murray doesn’t join the team, the Lakers may have to settle for a coaching change.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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