The Los Angeles Lakers’ unexpected journey to the Western Conference Finals in 2023 caught everyone off guard. Beginning the season with a dismal 2-10 record, they were largely written off by many. No NBA team had recovered from such a poor start to finish above .500 since the mid-2000s.
Yet, against the odds, they defied expectations and ended the season with a 43-39 record, securing the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Their subsequent playoff run, culminating in victories over the Grizzlies and the defending champion Warriors, before bowing out in the West Finals to the eventual champions, became the stuff of legend.
Crucial to their late-season surge was the Lakers’ strategic moves at the trade deadline, which bolstered their roster significantly. They heavily relied on their core group of six players – Anthony Davis, LeBron James, D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Rui Hachimura – a formula that proved instrumental in their success.
However, what puzzled many observers this season was Head Coach Darvin Ham’s reluctance to revert to playing his top players from the previous season. Experimenting with different starting lineups throughout the first half of the season contributed to more losses than expected.
One Eastern Conference scout echoed the surprise felt by many, expressing disbelief at Ham’s delayed adjustment. “We never honestly thought [Ham] would stick with [not playing last year’s core together] all year,” they remarked. The scout’s team affiliation wasn’t disclosed, but teams such as Charlotte, Detroit, Washington, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Indiana, Brooklyn, Toronto, and Cleveland had yet to face the Lakers with their revamped lineup.
The sentiment within other organizations mirrored the frustrations of analysts and fans regarding Ham’s decision to deviate from the core group of players that had propelled the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals the previous season. Returning to that winning formula clearly revitalized the Lakers in the latter part of the season.
Despite his efforts to keep opponents guessing with his lineup choices, Ham’s strategy ultimately backfired by prolonging the adjustment period. This misstep could spell the end of his tenure with the organization, as dissatisfaction with his decision-making mounts.
