The Los Angeles Lakers picked up their first win of the 2022-23 season on Sunday night, defeating the Denver Nuggets in Los Angeles.
The win was the first of new Lakers head coach Darvin Ham’s career, and the team celebrated in the locker room following the game.
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It’s been a slow start to the 2022-23 season for the Lakers, as the team was winless through its first five games. However, a strong performance on Sunday helped the Lakers break through in the win column.
Ham’s decision to move guard Russell Westbrook to the bench has paid major dividends for Los Angeles, and Westbrook’s production has gone up as well.
Lakers since Russ came off the bench:
+18 with Russ on the floor
-16 with Russ off the floor pic.twitter.com/hSKFmVjDxX— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 31, 2022
On Sunday night, Westbrook scored 18 points, grabbed eight rebounds and added eight assists in the win over Denver. Westbrook’s teammates have taken notice of his unselfishness as well to come off the bench for the team.
Anthony Davis said he approached Russell Westbrook in the locker room postgame to tell him how he is proud of him for how he accepted his role that Darvin Ham laid out for him, saying Westbrook is “flourishing” off the bench so far
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 31, 2022
The Lakers guard made a huge play to ice the game on Sunday, grabbing an offensive rebound to keep a possession alive before finishing with a layup.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK!
— Coast to Coast Brasil | NBA (@brasilcoast2) October 31, 2022
Westbrook’s improved play has to be rewarding for Ham, who has been tasked with getting the most out of this roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Ham broke into coaching the NBA in the 2011-12 season as an assistant coach for the Lakers, so this win was a bit of a full-circle moment for the Lakers coach.
After watching his team struggle, especially on the offensive end, to begin the season, Ham had to be happy with the Lakers offense on Sunday. The team finished with 121 points and shot 47.9 percent from the field and 43.3 percent from beyond the arc.
The Lakers have another tough test in their next game, as they will take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, Nov. 2. The Pelicans are off to a hot start in the 2022-23 season even though forward Brandon Ingram (concussion protocol) has missed the team’s last few games.
Zion Williamson and C.J. McCollum have led the Pelicans to a 4-2 start with Ingram out of the lineup.
Wednesday’s game is scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. PST in Los Angeles. The Lakers will surely looking to get the win and further set their current campaign back on the right track.
