No butterflies, No pregame photographs on the court docket. No further moments of reflection on the drive to the world.
Just work.
“It’s game day,” Darvin Ham stated earlier than his first recreation as coach of the Lakers, projecting the calm, confidence and management that helped him land the job this offseason.
If Ham wasn’t within the temper for sentimentality, new Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown cooked up some, providing a few stanzas when requested whether or not there was any poetry within the season beginning with a matchup between the 2 males.
After all, it was Brown, when he was the Lakers’ coach, who employed Ham to work with the crew as an assistant in 2011.
“I guess so. Let me see. …
“Darvin Ham. I brought him in the league a while ago.
“I hope to kick his a— tonight.
“If I see him in the street, … I would never challenge him to a fight.”
The preseason is a good time for laughs, and Brown’s pregame poem offered some. Last yr’s preseason for the Lakers, although, turned out to be more drawback than poetry, the crew wanting unhealthy in going 0-6.
This season began the identical approach, a 105-75 loss to Sacramento.
On Monday evening at Crypto.com Arena in opposition to Sacramento, the Lakers took a more serious approach, Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook all taking part in within the preseason opener as an alternative of sitting out the exhibition. Davis even appeared on the crew’s first damage report, although he was “probable” with decrease again tightness.
“Just a little quick test run,” Ham stated. “Sticking the toe in the water for the first time, so to speak, so it should be fun. I’m looking forward to seeing how they compete and how they carry what we’ve worked on for the last week or so.”
That first look started with Damian Jones and Kendrick Nunn becoming a member of James, Davis and Westbrook within the beginning lineup.
“They all fit,” Ham stated, although he stated the starters can be fluid. “Like, the way they’ve played with one another and the ball moves, we’re eager to see what that looks like tonight.”
For Nunn, it was the primary on-court motion since a bone bruise shut him down final yr within the preseason. He promptly made his first shot — a nook three-pointer off an help from Davis.
And although Austin Reaves, Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker all might fill that spot within the lineup, Ham stated Nunn deserved Monday’s alternative.
“Kendrick has been one of the many bright spots in camp. His offense, he’s shot the ball extremely well. I’ve challenged him defensively, and he’s made strides,” Ham stated. “He’s earned it.”
Nunn completed with 9 factors in 20 minutes. He and Davis had been two of the lone offensive brilliant spots in a recreation the place the Lakers shot 31.2 p.c from the sphere, shortly shedding a halftime lead as soon as the starters sat initially of the third quarter.
Note: Speaking of Walker, Ham said the Lakers’ biggest free-agent signing will bounce back from an ankle injury and should play when the team faces the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night in Las Vegas. … Former Lakers Malik Monk and Kent Bazemore are with Sacramento. Monk was one of the Kings’ first shooting guards off the bench. … Troy Brown Jr., Walker and Dennis Schroder all missed Monday’s game. The Lakers are still hopeful that Schroder will join the team this week due to issues related to his work visa.
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