Los Angeles — Three starters already out lebron james, Anthony Davis When Ronnie Walker Enter the game and look at the fourth player, Troy Brown Jr.left early due to left quadriceps strain, and Los Angeles Lakers coach Durvin Hamm felt the need to protect Denise Schroeder from himself after the point guard rolled his right ankle midway through the fourth quarter on Wednesday.
“He went into the huddle and I said to him, ‘Man, if I see you limping, I’ll take you out. Three points behind the Miami Heat.'” He said. ‘No. Leave me in the game. I’m fine, coach. I’m fine.’
“I said, ‘Well, it works.’ And he said, “I’m not going to be good. I’m going to be great.” That was his exact words to me. “
Schroeder stayed in the game and dealt with the pain from being stepped on Bam Adebayofoot, and stepped up to the free-throw line to quickly drain two foul shots and cut the Lakers’ deficit to points. Did.
The Lakers won 112-109 and never lost again. Schroeder led the team with his season-high 32 points, four rebounds, and four steals.
“I’m just trying to be there for my teammates,” Schroeder said. “I felt pretty good after [turning the ankle]Of course it hurt and hurt. But I know my limits. “
Ham, who was an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks when Schroeder entered the league as a rookie in 2013, admitted the veteran guard beat it.
“A lot of the time when the adrenaline is pumping like that, you don’t feel it,” Hamm said. It’s just a contestant’s fireball, and he showed it tonight.”
The win moves LA to 4-1 in their last five games and 5-5 overall. Because Davis left the lineup with a fractured bone spur and a stress reaction in his right leg.
Schroeder was one of the Lakers’ strong performers. Thomas Bryant (21 points on 9-11 shooting, 9 rebounds), Russell Westbrook (21 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds, 3 steals), Austin Reeves (11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists) Wenen Gabriel (10 points on 4-for-6 shooting) also contributed.
“I think the different players are getting used to their roles and feeling more comfortable with more reps, more time,” Hamm said. Whether it’s Bronn or AD or Ronnie, it only makes us stronger and deeper when they both come back. ”
LA is currently the 10th seed in the Western Conference, one game behind the Utah Jazz, and the Lakers could return to the playoffs through a final play-in spot.
While not a brand of basketball to match the 17 championships the franchise is known for, a stretch without Davis shows the Lakers had a relatively prosperous offseason in terms of contract decisions. Only minimal contracts are signed.
Schroeder, who returned to the team for a second stint with the Lakers, said Hamm’s presence weighed heavily on his return choice.
“We’ve been talking about it for three or four years and I don’t know. [saying that] When he becomes head coach, I want to be his PG,” said Schroeder. and let me be myself.
“And now, even when Bron and AD are there, he keeps telling me to be aggressive. [and] Russ: “Be aggressive, take care of yourself…” That’s what he always says. So I stay aggressive and keep finding my way. And I had to shout to him that whatever he said before I got here, he kept it. Therefore, I love him. “
