I Los Angeles Lakersreduce yes one road trip of four matches, they returned to the crypto.com Arena to face the Portland Trail Blazers. Even without LeBron Jamesthe coach men Darwin Ham they managed to take home the victory with a score of 116 to 110, with Anthony Davis star of the match with 30 points and 13 rebounds. Here are the first impressions of the protagonists, released to the microphones at the end of the race.
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???? Darvin Ham: «We still have to improve, we are in a transitional phase»
Despite this being the fourth victory out of as many matches played within friendly walls, coach Darwin Ham he proved to be far from satisfied with what his boys showed in these first Regular Season outings. Despite the good plays and defensive performances of several individuals, the yellow-violet coach confirmed how the road ahead, for himself and his men, is still very long before seeing the definitive form of his Lakers.
Among the various topics addressed at the start of the press conference, Ham spoke of the difficulties imposed by the opponents, especially when AD he was resting on the bench.
«We encountered some small difficulties, especially in defense or in losing a few too many balls in the offensive phase. Especially without AD on the field. Our opponents were good at not losing contact when we extended the shot, then finding our way back to the basket. On the other hand, we did well to close it out and bring home the victory.”
«However, I am aware that with time and improving team chemistry, things will change a lot for us. Now we are still sowing, soon you will be able to observe the growth of our “plant”. You’ve already seen some excerpts of it.”
«In the past there were other players, even now we have some guys out due to injury. But soon we will have our values and objectives firmly in mind, and we will have the results before our eyes. But the defensive phase counts most of all, I want to reiterate that.”
In addition to reiterating the importance of the defensive phase, the Lakers coach underlined the excellent personal performances of some of the men on his roster, including Cam Reddish e Taurean Prince.
«Cam had a good performance. He always manages to be useful: for his speed and passing ability, his size or his athleticism. He is not a player who waits for the ball to come to him. Both he and Taurean played a good game, covering defensively and grabbing a lot of rebounds.”
«I love having players like Cam available: for how he defends, for the ability to be paired with different players in defense, even if they are the most difficult to keep at bay. He is a multitasking player. »
«His strong points, as I have already said, are the speed with which his hands handle the ball, he is able to move in transition and he has an imposing physique. I’m happy with the match he played, it was a great match for him.”
Finally, he closed his media window by addressing the issue of shooting difficulties, which his Lakers have encountered in some situations at the start of this season, the importance, once again, of defense and underlining the importance of having a player like Rui Hachimura.
«The kids are still learning each other’s characteristics, timing and habits on the pitch. We are in a transitional phase, but in general my advice is always “If you are free, try the shot”. Clearly there are better ways of expressing our game, we know it and we will be able to put them into practice.»
«The best thing to do for now is to remain solid in defence, communicate a lot between us and remain attentive in marking. Always remain alert and active when without the ball. Well positioned and ready to receive every stray rebound. We’ll get there. I will watch the highlights of the last two matches in the film room to find out what we can improve immediately.»
«Rui is a player with an aggressive, grim mentality. He plays well both in the starting five and off the bench. We need players like him, always hungry for points and defensive plays. Very young, with a great future ahead. I always want to have this Rui available.»
???????? Rui Hachimura finishes with 19 points (6-10 from the field and 6-6 from the line), 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in Lakers’ game against the Trail Blazers.#LakeShow #RipCity #NBA pic.twitter.com/JHq7aQ02zW
— LakeShow Italia (@LakeShowIta) November 13, 2023
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???? Austin Reaves: «No game will be the way you want it, you have to grasp the dynamics quickly»
After the Lakers coach he was Austin Reaves to present themselves to the media. In his conference, HilliBilly Kobe reiterated the importance of Anthony Davis within the roster and team play, and how he and his teammates made up for the absence of LeBron James.
«Well, I saw the afro cut again and I understood that AD would play well tonight [ride, ndr]. Jokes aside, every time he takes the field he changes the fate of the match. Anyone, even LeBron, would always like to play with him next to him, as he expands the range of possibilities to get to the basket.”
«Some come from injuries and a lot depends on how our opponents play. There is a lot of difference between the starting and finishing teams. This time they gave us more opportunities to serve AD and he was good at capitalizing. But team chemistry and chemistry will improve soon.”
«Something reminded me of last year, when LeBron was injured for a few weeks. But we have a roster full of talent: DLo, AD, Rui and many others. We know how to get by even without LeBron.”
The young yellow-violet talent continued by touching on a topic that concerns him closely, and which was almost taboo in the match against the Blazers, the shot from beyond the arc:
«With 21% from beyond the arc you can’t aim to win the NBA title. You also need to understand the dynamics of each race and adapt to find ways to win them. No match will ever be the way you wanted it or the way you expected it to be.”
«I often feel that I have done less than I could. But I know that it will be difficult to play the perfect match and how you want it. You have to grasp the dynamics quickly, be combative and not give in to your opponent.»
«Everyone must make their contribution, not just shooting. Today, as in other matches, TP helped us a lot in finding the distances that allowed us to win. He knows how to understand where the rebound will come and be ready.”
???? Another good performance for Austin Reaves. Against the Trail Blazers he alternated individual initiatives with excellent readings for his teammates, including the beautiful assist for Anthony Davis. For the #15 of the Lakers 18 points (6/12 shooting with 2/4 threes), 4 rebounds and 4 assists.#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/dn4CQEr6Hs
— Giovanni Rossi (@spawnix) November 13, 2023
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???? Cam Reddish: «The Lakers aim to always win»
Protagonist of the victory over the Trail Blazers with an 18 point performance with 7/10 shooting, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 1 block, also Cam Reddish he expressed his opinions at the end of the race. The Lakers winger began by talking about the positive aspects of the victory over Portland and having replaced LeBron in the starting lineup:
«We know that our duty is to win. We must always be ready, fight for rebounds, play with skill and determination. We had a good performance today, giving our all for all 48 minutes and we must continue like this.”
«LeBron spoke to me, reassured me. I already replace him when he rests on the bench, I know what I’m up against when I play in his place. However, I try to take my shots and do things as usual, without being influenced. I have to maintain confidence in myself, so I was able to put in a good performance today.”
«Not just LeBron, my other teammates also complimented me and gave me confidence. We all played a great game. For me it was almost perfect, one of the best in the NBA. It makes me feel even more hopeful about the future.”
The former Portland player continued his speech by talking about the relationship, on and off the field, with D’Angelo Russell.
«I’m quite taciturn while DLo, on the contrary, is a very talkative person. In the locker room he always tries to strike up a conversation, talking and trying to build a bond that is also reflected on the pitch.”
«I’m happy that you continue to motivate me and push me to be better. It makes me proud. Even for the problems I had, I feel really good now. Having someone like DLo around helps a lot.”
In closing, a comment about the moment of his career he is in and the considerations in this regard:
«Here we always aim to win. It’s not like anywhere else. It’s a different thing: having a goal, knowing why you’re taking to the field, is simply different. And, personally, it helps me a lot.”
???? Cam Reddish finishes with 18 points (7-10 from the field), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 1 block in Lakers’ game against the Trail Blazers.#LakeShow #RipCity #NBA pic.twitter.com/A4uyYz0Vs7
— LakeShow Italia (@LakeShowIta) November 13, 2023
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???? Next Game
I Los Angeles Lakers they return to the field in the night (4.30 ????????) between Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th November to face the Memphis Grizzlies all crypto.com Arena.
On the cover: Jerami Grant and coach Darvin Ham during the match between the Lakers and Trail Blazers at the crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles (Ringo Chiu, AP Photo)
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2023-11-13 16:48:11
#Lakers #beat #Trail #Blazers #Ham #starts #defense #beginning
