Lakers News: Darvin Ham Rebuffs Suggestions LA Should Have Thrown Pelicans Game To Avoid Denver
While the Los Angeles Lakers secured their spot in the playoffs with their 110-106 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, some believe the Lakers should have avoided getting this win. Due to the Lakers' win, they will now go up against the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.
The Nuggets have gotten the best of the Lakers lately, defeating them in all three matchups this season. Additionally, Denver held the Lakers from advancing to the NBA Finals last year by beating them in the Western Conference Finals.
Had they instead lost the game against the Pelicans, they would have had the chance to face the Oklahoma City Thunder instead, but the would have had to defeat the Sacramento Kings in the second round of the play-in tournament first.
Still, there's no guarantee that the Lakers would have defeated the Kings, and clinching a playoff spot is the most important goal.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham called anyone that suggested that the Lakers should have lost to the Pelicans to avoid Denver in round one, “just someone that got out of an insane asylum," via Spectrum SportsNet.
While the Nuggets have been the Lakers' kryptonite recently, the Lakers would have a good shot at facing Denver at some point in the playoffs even if the Nuggets weren't their first round opponent. The Nuggets are the reigning NBA champions, and the team to beat in the playoffs.
Ham said that while the Nuggets have taken down the Lakers recently, they still believe they have a chance heading into the series against the Nuggets.
“[The series record is] zero-zero. Obviously they’ve had a ton of success against our ball club, but there’s always a new day. We feel comfortable though, we like where we are, we like where the spirit of our group is," Ham said.
The Lakers-Nuggets playoff series begins Saturday in Denver.
