Lakers/Grizzlies Postgame, J.Worthy, LeBron, Rui, Dinwiddie, Coach Ham Reactions | March 27, 2024

Lakers/Grizzlies Postgame, J.Worthy, LeBron, Rui, Dinwiddie, Coach Ham Reactions | March 27, 2024

Lakers get the win that is five games in a row uh their longest win streak in the past few season ties their longest win streak of this season uh of the last few season and it’s the longest uh this year they also go to nine games over 500

Seven players and double figures a scorching 55% from three they made 18 threes 18 of 33 on a second night of a backto back uh big game after an emotional comeback victory over a Milwaukee Bucks team who’s one of the best in the League last night getting in late to Memphis how

Impressive is this win how big was it to back it up Gater it was uh it was extremely impressive um after an emotional draining game in Milwaukee uh without LeBron um you know there’s a lot of emotion in that game you would think that they would have uh spent all their

Energy but uh you know it’s just a uh a test to their you know their closeness their Unity their their ability to you know stay together in an important back-to-back game that they know they needed to win Memphis was not the team that they played before without jaw and

They went in and they took care of business Gater I was very impressed uh you know the bench I believe 31 points Off the Bench tonight they you know they played well together uh and so yeah they they deserve this Victory they’re tired as hell and so am I really impressive it

Just it was just a good victory backed up by the the win in uh in Milwaukee yeah Prince with 15 dwy with 14 so they combin for 29 fish no LBJ last night no ad tonight speak to how it changes the team with one of your stars out in terms

Of style of play and mindset and how you attack yeah no I think from a style of play perspective uh oddly enough it opens the floor up even more for the Lakers like LeBron and ad on the floor both paint guys both guys that love to

Live in the paint so when they’re both out there together for 35 Plus minutes there’s not as much room for other guys to to really get the three-point opportunities like they get on some of the nights when one guy is out so from a style of play perspective I think it

Does create more opportunity just because there’s more shots more volume available these other guys are some of the best basketball players in the world as well so when they get more opportunity more minutes they’re in better Rhythm they have more chances to play through mistakes and they they

Perform like they do tonight ruy haimura with 32 points and other guys able to fill in so not something you want to live by but they are capable during certain games of having good quarters even when one of those guys is out and for the first time the Lakers are six

And4 without LeBron James that would have never happened uh a few years ago so it just kind of speaks to what uh you were saying all right let’s go back to Memphis ruie is with Mike jell all right ruie just before we came on the air LeBron jumped on your back

I’m glad you’re athletic it look it seemed like it was pretty heavy you like it I thought I was going to break my back but yeah you know uh it was a great team win you know we we uh bra was out last night and a was out last tonight

But you know I think we played together and then we trust each other that’s why we got this win so it was a great win I don’t know what it is about you in this building but you remember game one last year you scored 28 points hit 5 threes

Game two you have 20 tonight you hit 7 threes so you’re pretty comfortable in Tennesse huh I guess you know I’m not going to lie I’m not a very big fan of the city but you know it’s just you know uh um you know yeah I always had a great

Memory here you know I think uh we had a great round last year in the playoff and now you know we I think we come back here next week or something so yeah it’s a one one at a time you know we got a

Think a four in a row now five in a row so we got to get a six in a row so yeah we’re going to we going to keep going five wins in a row four more hey easy on Memphis now uh ruy you already taken it

Out of them on the court uh what do you guys have to do to keep up this level of play as you go on throughout the next four games of the trip stick together you know we got to we got to communicate it’s almost over communicate you know we

Should be over communicate right now know it’s the time of the year you know play off time so we just we just got to communicate uh trust each other and then play for each other and then you referenced it so no ad tonight no LeBron last night what does that take for you

To step up in one way on the re in the rebounding aspect which is a thing that you did really well these last two games yeah that’s what I been focused on you know I think uh uh getting more action you know rebound is just touching the

Ball you know that’s going to help me you know that’s going to help me the as a my rhythm you know for the game so so I think it’s been great and then I think I got to keep doing that legs okay after a dou OT last night and then another B

Yeah yeah you know I’m used to it there you go all right go get some rest yeah thank you great night for ruy guys and I do want to talk about him I know uh he was picked for a take your shot and rightfully so he loves playing in

Memphis we remember how well he played those first two games in Memphis in the playoffs that was his first experience in the playoffs he went for 29 game one 20 in game two uh ruy seven of eight from three James for 32 points but you also wanted rebounds he gave you that

Too double double with 10 I think that I think maybe a month or so ago uh when they really started to cater to him I remember there was a couple games where they were isoing him like in the paint he was posting up creating mismatches and ever since then he started to become

Like a vocal point of their offense and without ad he knew had to play Big tonight he’s the next biggest strongest guy that we can have that can play in the paint and and move people around so he you know he came out tonight 32 points got rebounds played physical kind

Of uh did what he was supposed to do in the absence of of of AD so hats off to um to my man for uh for for for for taking up that that that space did a good job I I love that he’s up for those challenges too and I think he looks

Forward to them I mean you want that in guy right CU you can’t teach that there are certain nights during the course of a season where your team needs you to be the best version of yourself and that is a great feeling for a player that

Doesn’t always get to live in that space so and these guys you know the relationship that the guys have built that he spoke to that’s what also allows that to happen the trust within the team he knows that his guys trust him to go

Out and try to do more on a night like tonight and even if he doesn’t score 32 they’re going to live with the results of because of who he is you know we’re just showing you right there fish and you guys both bring up some great points

And you guys have both touched on this over the last few weeks just how connected this team has been probably for the last month and a half and you see it just in those videos right that’s that’s not fake that’s that’s joy for each other that’s having a good time

That means they’re in a good place mentally and they’re feeling good about each other and and it really shows when guys are out big game and other guys step up no question you know uh next man up they’re ready for that you know ban the brothers that’s who they are and

You know when you put in the work together and you get the result that you’re looking for jumping on a teammate’s back celebrating you know it’s it’s what you it’s what you get uh Happiness joy they put in the work together they they you know achieve something and it does it brings you

Closer together and guess what how many games in a row is this five that also helps that also helps guys will be jumping on each other’s backs when you get to nine just wait uh big game in and defish uh you know I like to give you

Numbers those last three games have been crazy right you had the 150 game yeah the game and now tonight this offense that’s 414 points in the last three games you can do the math on the average 44 threes that’s about 15 a night in big game I know you like this 89 assists

That’s that that’s 30 a night so the ball’s moving it’s moving everybody’s everybody’s getting a touch everyone’s at stat sheet you know yeah seven guys fig in the bench uh Lebron after a night off 234 and 12 we knew he was going to get a a triple double we saw his numbers

At at halftime he was already on that pass fish yeah what I was going to mention that a second ago like guys as great as LeBron they’re so he’s so smart to recognize he hasn’t practiced in a few days didn’t play last night so on a

Night like tonight he knows not to shoot too many threes I’m punishing him in the rim cuz I’m not going to shoot the ball as well from far out everybody can’t make that type of decision in the moment the way he does play after play after

Play and go 14 for 23 and it was a grown man game right big they couldn’t stop him at the rim and he knew that well I mean he’s a he’s a genius I mean you know uh and like fish just said you know he’s not going to try to shoot the

Outside shot he had a he had one thing in mind tonight and he started from the beginning set the tone he went in there and punished some people in the paint that set the tone for the whole night all right let’s hear from Darin ham he’s speaking with Mike in the

Media yeah Darin so that starting group you know you have ruie and LeBron and kind of Austin specifically all plus 30 in their stretch what what did that tell you about how they played and and then kind of the flip side just the the unit that was out there without LeBron and

And Austin and ruy and kind of as Memphis got back into the game some I mean just the balance uh making sure we we we uh were keen on our assignments with that starting group and obviously the balance offensively that is in that group um you know Jackson did a great

Job you know subbing in for a I didn’t really like the fact that he only had one rebound I’m sorry seven rebounds I’m looking at the assist my apologies Jackson uh but that that group uh that really set a good tone and then as we

Came in I thought we let uh the whistles or lack thereof get the better of us mentally um some guys playing downhill thought they got hit whether you think so or not whether they call it or not you still got to have a next play

Mentality as tough as it is um and they were able to make a run you know they drew some fouls they hit some threes and you know they chopped into a lead that we had established but all in all coming off last night’s game double overtime it’s tough win uh especially playing

Against a tough fast team like Memphis uh it’s got a lot of shooting they you know throw up a lot of Threes I’m just proud of our guys that we were able to hang on and pull it up I I suppose the some of the focus on ruy just the

Shooting night with the seven threes but second straight double digit rebounding game yeah did you challenge him specifically absolutely yeah I’ve been on him all year about rebounding more being active on the glass being an active Defender um and not leaking out you know he has a tendency to want to

Take off running assuming someone else is going to get the defensive rebound and and it stops him from participating but he’s to his credit you know he’s heard us loud and clear I’m not the only one telling him this his teammates the other coaches um are all delivering the

Same message and you know he’s responding well to it you mean you told us I guess last night that LeBron coming off the indie game the ankles bothering so needed some time um but this is another example of where it seemed like he had a little extra

Popper movement where there was a chance for the schedule to give him three or four days is that something that you guys have to kind of take into account as you think about managing him for the final nine games of regular season well we go according to how he’s feeling

Obviously and what’s going on with him and we just take things one day at a time that’s all you can really do um that’s it I mean is no more to it uh just communication between uh Mike men is you know along with our the rest of

Our performance team and myself RP and and Braun himself and obviously it it’s all predicated on how he feels when he wakes up and each day so we just you know put our heads together and come up with with a solidified unified plan and it’s worked out and it’s something we’ll

Continue to do Darin uh to for you um in terms of 8s hyperextended need did did he he get any Imaging or anything like that was the or is and is the Hope is the hope that he’ll be back Friday yeah we’ll see we’ll see tomorrow um we’ll

See how it goes tomorrow when he gets up okay and then um with ruie uh I remember last season LeBron kind of saying a bunch of times like when he knows what his job is when he knows what his role is that’s when he’s at his most

Comfortable how have you think you know him just kind of like being cemented into the starting lineup has has enabled him to find his spots find the places where he can impact you guys and and how valuable do you think he’s been as you guys have

Made this push now to nine games over 500 I think he’s been extremely valuable when excuse me and yeah Clarity always helps performance um and so what’s inserting him into the starting lineup it it gives him a chance where the defense is not just focused on

Him him coming off the bench you know there was times where they treated him like Brun you know they know how he can definitely score at all three levels um he draws a lot L of attention you know without having those guys on the floor you know not focusing attention had two

Two and a half three bodies around him and so now with him being in that lineup with Brion ad low and AR is just really no no one can really double team him or or scheme for him um all the scheming is done for Bri and AD and DLo and even AR

So if you want to technically call him a fifth option you know it’s it’s it’s I’ll take that any and every day of the week and twice on Sunday uh because you know he he’s he’s a phenomenal Elite scorer um and the rest the other parts

Of his game is starting to go come along but his ability to roam and be in the right spot you know knows whether he’s shooting a three on the backside after a double team slashing getting the dunk because of a double team um everything he’s doing in transition offensively you

Know it’s just again they can’t they can’t have the sole focus of their defensive attention on him because of the people he’s in the lineup with LeBron gets his fourth triple double of the Season let’s go inside the Laker locker room he’s with Mike uh Lebron uh

Didn’t play last night 0 doesn’t play tonight you always come with you know the mentality of doing what your team needs but was there a little more focus on you know rebounding passing getting guys going and just kind of doing all those things to to try to deliver a win

No just I mean read and react to the game you know see how the defense is playing and um seeing the rhythm of my guy so um you know it’s good to be back out there with them and be able to uh you know do a lot of things tonight to help us

Win ruy certainly got going from three ton night seven of eight but also he hitting the glass Darin talks about high there’s some been coaches and some players have been emphasizing that what does that give you with that unit especially if 8 is not out there um I

Mean obviously ru’s ability to shoot and spread to Florida now was big time for us um you know it kept uh you know jiren Jackson you know kind of away from the pain and then when he was able to get into the pain we was able to kick out

For threes for ruy and uh he just stayed locked in all day um all night you know and uh made him pay and then as far as his defensive rebounding um it’s key for us it’s key for us to have another guy on the glass when ad’s absence we know

How well ad rebounds the ball so that was very key for us just want to get your thoughts on the comeback from last night you know you guys also came from 21 down against the Clippers you had a lot of a lot to say in that one and you

Know how that can help Propel you here it’s a fist straight win on top of tonight’s um you know obviously um a lot of energy was you know was was used last night you know on the comeback and overtime um you know and um for the guys

That played last night um you know heavy minutes AR and you know ruy TP and you know DLo and those guys Spence for them to come back with the energy or or give as much as they had whatever was left in the tank um it was uh it was great for

Us to get this win tonight you know we needed it you told C haes yesterday that you kind of got to manage this ankle to get you to the Finish Line no matter where that Finish Line may be how tough is it for you to to balance

The urgency of the team situation right now with recognizing that if if you compromise ankle now you know there’s still more games to be played like I mean how do you go through that process I guess just uh be very strategic on you know what you know obviously games and

You know how many days in between games and flights and things of that nature obviously um you know understanding and seeing how my ankle and my foot is feeling um but you know just being very smart about it obviously uh we we are where we are but but you know our health

Has always been the most important for for our ball Club not just one individual um but for me looking out for myself when it comes to injury and knowing my foot and and knowing my ankle and things how it reacts and how it’s been over the last couple years so you

Know just always uh you know keeping a you know a hefty eye on it does the lure of moving up in the standings at all impact the way you view how you’re going to manage your ankle um I mean I would have probably tried to play yesterday if that was the

Case you know I just got I got to be smart with it it doesn’t if I’m not you know healthy or any close to being healthy then it doesn’t it’s not good for our ball Club anyways it’s not good for me the um you you said a

Lot last year about ruy as a guy you know when he knows what his job is and when he settled into like a consistent role like that’s when he’s at his best he’s now been with you guys for a month plus as a starter how comfortable does

He seem and in his will um uh very comfortable um and uh you know he knows where his shots is coming from um he knows he’s going to be on the floor he knows he’s going to get minutes um you know and he I think he feels that we as

His teammates we want him to uh you know we look for him you know either in early post situations or in kickouts or when guys close out you know you know heavy on him he’s he’s ability to drive and finish U Drive pull up things of that

Nature um it gives us another big body another athleticism another athletic Wing out there um when we downsized you know tonight like tonight you know we had to play small the times you know me and him uh you know we can switch some things and and still be able to clean

Glass so um you know it’s been very key for our success over you know since he goty here tonight going up against GJ Jackson the youngest player in the NBA what’ you kind of make of of his performance in him as a player U well ever since um you

Know he’s been you know playing um he’s gotten better and better um you know I had an opportunity to watch him a lot at P Jam a couple years ago um playing for team CP3 and um you know I felt like he was one of the best players at peace Jam

Um that year and um you know he kind of I think he bypassed his senior year and went straight to South Carolina right yeah um so obviously you know he felt you know he was ready to go to the college ranks and he played well and my

He te he was teammates with my nephew me Johnson there um you know at South Carolina so I got an opportunity to watch him a lot there um but he’s gotten better and better um you know every time he stepped out on the floor for this for

This ball club and and it’s good for him to get this experience um early on in his career last question you look into doing that yourself say it again at St V did you look into doing that yourself going pro at no going to college one

Year after no going pro so but after Junior you look yeah I Tred to go pro only going Pros that was the only option it’s only option thanks Apprciate check this out uh big game James most triple doubles all time of course Russ is up there at 198 how about the Big O with 181 if jic plays conservatively another five years he’s going to obliterate that record that’s crazy I mean cuz he probably has 20 per season yeah a

Center yeah we yeah that’s think about that one for a bit all right we’ve got more to come on this edition of access ruy haimura with 32 points and seven threes in the win let all Laker reserves with 15 points in the win he’s standing by with Mike get ready Derek all right

Toian some guys were hot and some weren’t tonight they seemed to work out for the team overall you were able to get the three threes Off the Bench what kind of Rhythm are you starting to find as a team throughout this winning streak here I just think we’re all being

Aggressive um being decisive in our decision making and what we want to do offensively and obviously staying locked in defensively and knowing what we want to give up and and not give up no LeBron last night no ad tonight managed to get both wins so what does that say for you

Guys and from a confident standpoint of other players stepping up oh we know what they can bring to the table it’s just about doing what we can to get the win no matter who’s playing and um we believe we can do that um without both

Of them we have think we have a lot of talent enough to get wins and then with them it’s just that much more um star power uh to the roster so uh we know we could be dangerous and not having them not play gives guys a chance to build

Confidence and and find their Rhythm and only helps us when when all those guys get on the floor travel tomorrow and then you get Indiana who you just beat earlier this week what’s the challenge of beating a team twice especially going to their gym um knowing that they’re

Going to come out with some pop um but we know what we’re capable of and that’s all that matters and U we’re just focusing on us right now know you might have just kind of said this but are you looking at the standings at all at this point like I

Personally don’t but um I think coach does a good job of making sure we’re aware of what we can do on any given night as far as going up or down so um our staff does a good job of making sure that we’re aware of the position we’re

In team wise and try to execute to get in the best position obviously you guys want to be I mean the six would be ideal I’m sure 78 would be better than nine but do you feel like this would be dangerous just if it had a ticket to any of

This regardless I mean yeah I don’t think any team in the league really wants to see us um besides a couple um but we know our capabilities I think everybody else does too it’s just about us coming out and being consistent was there any point either during this five

Game winning streak or preceding it where you felt like the group like recognized like hey we can’t change the stuff that’s already happened to us this season injuries or whatever uh but there’s still opportunity ahead of us like was there any shift there no I

Think we had that one spell after the n Season tournament that was probably the only time I really felt like we got we got to get stuff together but besides that besides that The Season’s been pretty smooth and um when you got a group of guys who’s

Done it for a little bit uh you don’t tend to to over over uh overthink those type of scenarios you just kind of work through them and um and figure out what you can be better at and then be better at it and then live with the results my apprciate appreciate

Yall ruy out scored 30 points for the Scout scored 30 points for the season uh he’s speaking in the locker room I don’t know what when did you know you had a go okay you know I think tonight um we’re sharing the ball a lot you know

Um yeah you know everybody was um play for each other today uming the ball just all the pass came on right on the right time you know on the white white spot so I think I was able to U had a easy shot so it was a it was all

Part but you know we practiced a lot those kind of shots so anything about being in this champ seems like you shot pretty well everybody tender but yeah I feel like it’s same to me it feels same I mean when I came here last last night or

Today this morning um I got the old the flashback from last year you know the playoff time you know F we spent it here for like two months you know yeah that’s that’s what I was just thinking but you know um we always we have a good memory here you know pretty

You have a pretty good um um games in here um I think uh it was I was happy toble I was I was happy able to come back here you know it’s been almost a year you know so but yeah I think we had

A big Dub here so I think it was a great win there hasn’t been a ton of games that LeBron and AD have missed this year they’ve been pretty available but in the time they have missed you guys think you’ve figured out ways to succeed without them yeah you know just be more

Aggressive you know especially on the rebound side you know um that’s how I get that’s how I get in the Rhythm so I think I need to get in the more action on the rebound I can push the ball you know U I get a little bit of touch so

You know when when I get the when I get the ball you know it’s easier for me to get in the Rhythm so yeah I think I just got to keep doing the rebound side and just being aggressive in offense you know that’s that’s normal for me but you

Know especially the BR uh ADL you know to I have more opportunities you know attacking the rim shooting the ball so yeah I think that that’s what that’s my that’s how my how I think how did you kind of manage the inconsistencies in your role early this season you you always seem

Pretty even Keel about it um publicly at least us uh and how comfortable I guess are you now that it’s like every night you kind of know your SP I think I’m at this point I’m I’m used to this inconsistent you know stuff you know this just like from last year you know

We I was in you know I was DMP I I play 10 minutes 20 minutes some game 30 minutes some game on starting some game you know all kind of different stuff I’m playing three I’m playing five four it’s just that’s that’s how I do you know

That’s what I do you know that’s my strength and um I’m able to play different positions different roles you know that’s my strength so but yeah that’s a I think on this time you know I think a playoff time I think we we’re trying to make a run and I think

Everybody came together in the right time so uh I know we missing a couple guys right now still but I think hopefully they come back soon and yeah we’re going to make a last run for the playoffs I want to say it’s 24 rebounds for you in these these two games this

Back to back not that there’s a number that you challenge yourself to get to but do you like that idea of like trying to get double digit boards uh to if you’re in this spot or you’re not going to hold yourself to that no I was trying

To just just be more aggressive on the rebound side you know especially tonight ad was out so you know I think uh you know with the Jackson I need to to be the guy you know getting the more rebound so I think that was a that was my mindset and I was able

To do it so I think it was good Spencer didn’t when he scored 14 points Off the Bench he’s with Mike in the locker room all right Spencer five wins in a row now uh it seems like you you guys are starting to get a pretty good Rhythm

Even without ad tonight without LeBron last night where are you starting to see the team coals right now I think everybody’s just focused attention to detail is a raising we understand uh the mission and task at hand and we’re trying to push to you know beyond just

Seating to continue to play as good as possible and and and come together as a group individually it seems to me at least your defense has been consistent regardless of if you’re asked to do more or less on the offensive side how how have you come into this team with that

Mindset of just kind of doing the things it takes to win uh just understanding that you know I was coming into a set in stone team already um possessions would come and go um in terms of volume offensively but uh that you know we were trying to win a championship that’s

Bigger than myself and obviously also as a la kid I understand just being on a part of the Lakers franchise in general it’s Championship robust every year just going back to last night for a second that go-ahead three that you hit like you know there’s a shot in the video

Just the joy not the first time that’s happened for you this year but but how do you can you take that kind of forward with you on a road trip when those moments like that with the team for sure I just think it’s a collective you know

Being able to come from behind and win in Milwaukee uh come back and and cl out the game come on hey it’s everybody want to hit everybody with a pump fake huh that’s cool you know I’m on my way to a handshake so that’s all that matters

Fair enough all right last one for you just the the challenge of facing the Indiana team that you just beat at home and you know they’ll be up for you oh yeah I mean they’re going to come out aggressive try to avenge their loss but obviously we’re going to be ready uh you

Know we look to go into their building and and continue our our streak and and like I said every game is about us and trying to just get better as a team get prepared for the playoffs I appreciate the time no problem thank you Game number three on the road trip

Friday stops in Indiana pregame is at 3 game time is at four big game Fish uh hopefully the Good Vibes keep rolling right the team is in a good place they’re playing good basketball Pacers are tough at home obviously they’re a great offensive team should be a fun one last time they

Played it was 150 to 145 yeah I I I agree Gater I think that when you um discover something you go through Hills and Valleys like the Lakers have and it’s uh march here almost April they’ve they’ve arrived at a place where they feel like they can play together that’s

A good thing I think they can sustain that and you know getting these first two wins on a six game Road Trip so key to to coming off of a road trip with a winning record that’s that’s all you can ask in this league you go out for six

Games 4-2 for good teams 5- one 6-0 for great teams they’ve set themselves up really well by getting those first two no doubt about that

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