The Los Angeles Lakers went into the All-Star Break with momentum as the team was looking to put together a run at a guaranteed playoff spot in the second half of the season. Unfortunately, the purple and gold have not been able to continue that momentum after the break.
Los Angeles has lost two of three games in the second half with both losses coming against playoff competition in the Western Conference. While LeBron James didn't play against the Golden State Warriors, it still is not a great sign that the Lakers lost by a combined 28 points against the Warriors and Phoenix Suns.
Head coach Darvin Ham was not shy about coming up with excuses for the Lakers' loss to the Suns on Sunday. Instead of taking accountability for his team's play (and his poor coaching job, which has been the case all season), Ham instead took the easiest route possible: blame the refs (h/t Dave McMenamin, ESPN).
""That's something we focus on, trying to win the free throw line every game," Ham said. "And so that's tough. I'm telling my guys to drive downhill; we're trying to love and live in the paint. And you're not getting calls. I see guys with their hands in our guys' ribs or swinging, swiping at their heads, trying to block the shot but not getting the ball, but getting a piece of the body. And it's not being called, as simple as that.
"So, we have to figure out ways to not let that be a problem, but it's tough. Again, it's frustrating when there's so much inconsistency.""
Darvin Ham yet again dodges accountability for another Lakers loss
This has been the story all season for the Los Angeles Lakers. Any time that the Lakers face any adversity and lose a game to a tough opponent there has to be some kind of excuse. Sunday's excuse was an easy one as all Ham had to do was look at the box score.
The Suns attempted 11 more free throws in the game than the Lakers and managed to make 18 of 19 shots from the line. Meanwhile, the Lakers shot just 4-8 from the line, and to be partially fair to Ham, there definitely were missed calls in the game.
But that is not why the Lakers lost this game. Even if the free-throw attempts were equal, the Suns were far more consistent at the line than Los Angeles was. Those 11 extra free-throw attempts were not the end-all, say-all of this basketball game.
Instead, Ham should be talking about how his team was out-rebounded 51-34; how his team allowed 14 offensive rebounds in the game and could only finish with three themselves. For a team that is meant to attack the rim, it is pretty concerning to allow 11 more offensive rebounds than you finished with yourself.
Did the free throws play a part? Sure. But once again, Ham is dodging accountability and the Lakers are failing to look in the mirror and realize what the problem really is. It is hard to have faith in any kind of playoff run for this very reason.