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The LA Lakers, who entered the playoffs via the play-in tournament, just obliterated the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in Game 6. LA's 125-85 thrashing of the Grizzlies could be a harbinger of more things to come.
Darvin Ham had this to say after the Lakers' most emphatic playoff win in years (via Mike Trudell):
“We set a standard for ourselves defensively … this thing is just getting started. We passed level one. Now we gotta start shifting our focus to whoever comes outta that game on Sunday.”
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Ham's squad will take on the winner of the slug fest between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings. The playoff-neophyte Kings just forced the dynastic Warriors into a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday.
The seventh-seeded LA Lakers will remain underdogs against whoever comes out of the Warriors-Kings series. But as LeBron James and his teammates have proven against the Memphis Grizzlies, they don't care about seeding in the playoffs.
Darvin Ham's defensive game plan was anchored by Anthony Davis. AD had 16 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in 28 minutes. He made a strong case as the better defensive player than newly-named Defensive Player of the Year winner Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Grizzlies.
Davis recorded five blocks, but he altered several more shots. AD's presence practically shut down the paint, keeping Memphis out of their comfort zone. The LA Lakers' 52-32 crushing advantage in interior points was a huge factor in their win.
Jarred Vanderbilt and LeBron James also did their part in overwhelming the Memphis Grizzlies with defense. Both have been crucial parts of Darvin Ham's defensive scheme due to their switchability and versatility.
The LA Lakers will have a good chance in any playoff series if they can sustain this kind of defensive dominance.
The LA Lakers' transition defense was crucial in eliminating the Memphis Grizzlies
Darvin Ham harped about how important it was for the LA Lakers to limit the Memphis Grizzlies' transition points. LA was 24th in the NBA in fastbreak points allowed in the regular season, while Memphis was second in transition points scored.
The Lakers had to clamp down on that end or they would be facing an uphill battle against Ja Morant and the Grizzlies.
LA outscored Memphis in fastbreak points 24-14 in Game 6 and clinched the series. The Grizzlies averaged 15.5 transition points in six games after putting up 18.0 in the regular season.
More than just the points, the LA Lakers limited Memphis' ability to cause havoc on their defense with their attack off the break.
Darvin Ham had this to say about his team's efforts on that end:
"I just think our attention to detail in terms of transition defense. It was one thing that we really needed to locked in on. We met as a staff yesterday and that was the biggest thing that stood out."
"Every possession, we played on our toes, not on our heels. We were great in transition.
