Lakers News: Darvin Ham Reveals LA's Second-Half Strategy Vs Houston

After another rough first quarter by your Los Angeles Lakers Sunday, they found themselves down eight against a Rockets team that defeated them by 34 points less than two weeks ago.

A strong second quarter paired with some good halftime adjustments allowed them to have a terrific third quarter, where they outscored the Rockets by 12 amidst holding them to just 20 points.

When asked about the adjustments he made, here's what coach Darvin Ham had to say (starting at 1:30):

Darvin Ham praises LeBron James' level of play throughout tonight's win over the Rockets. pic.twitter.com/wkfHl1TLNe
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) November 20, 2023

"Digging in defensively," "keeping them off the glass," "playing downhill," "getting into the paint," and "getting some free throws," were all amongst the things that Darvin Ham's encouraged of the team to bounce back from their rough start.

Based on the second-half results, the players followed Ham's orders, shooting 8% better from the field (51.4% vs. 43.5%), along with shooting 17 more free throws (23 vs. six).

The Lakers are a team that needs to be aggressive. LeBron and Anthony Davis are two physical forces surrounded by players that are capable of hitting open 3s, meaning that their offense is best executed on the basis of their two most sound inside-the-arc players forcing defenses to collapse, creating opportunities for their teammates.

Even if those opportunities aren't created, an aggressive LeBron/AD force defenses to play physical in return, often leading to defensive fouls. It's the mold that LA used to win the title in 2020, and if they want to replicate that success, they'll need to continue relying on them to be aggressive.

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