“I see a level of focus that’s infectious.” Anthony Davis started the preseason locked in both ends of the court. He was phenomenal, so much so that head coach Darvin Ham said, “He’s the heart and soul of our team.” Per the 50-year-old, that newfound fire in Davis resulted from being swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Conference Finals last year. But as this season nears its close, and the LA Lakers are on the brink of getting swept yet again by the Nuggets, Davis directed that fire at Coach Ham.

It was Game 2 in the Lakers-Nuggets series. Davis & Co. had a 20-point lead in the third quarter, a lead they should’ve ideally converted into a win. But instead of coming out of the game with the series tied at 1-1, the Nuggets led 2-0, courtesy of Jamal Murray’s spectacular buzzer-beater to ensure a 101-99 victory. “We have stretches where we just don’t know what we’re doing on both ends of the floor,” Davis said after Game 2. “Those are the ones that cost us,” slightly pinning the blame on Darvin Ham. However, Draymond Green was having none of it.

In the latest segment of The Draymond Green Show, the Warriors’ defender couldn’t help but rip Anthony Davis apart for his comments. Green said, “I was very disappointed in AD’s statement after the game.” Despite his love and respect for Davis, as Green emphasized, the center explained why he was disappointed. “Number one, Darvin Ham was a player; Darwin Ham is a black man.”

He continued, “To throw him under the bus just like that, I didn’t like it, appreciate it, [or] respect it. I could be a bit biased because Darvin Ham is my OG. But in this case, I got nothing but love for both of them, so [there’s no bias].” Green’s comments came after Darvin Ham shared his thoughts on his center’s remarks. Before Game 3, the head coach said, “I just think sometimes plays don’t turn out the way you think they should.” He further admitted to “agree to disagree” with Anthony Davis.

Ham was kind enough to still sympathize with his team, especially Davis, by saying, “The frustration sets in a little bit. But I don’t think it’s, for us, not being organized. I think I have incredibly talented coaches all along my staff, and we pride ourselves on being a highly efficient organization. So I would just chalk that up to being frustrated; it’s an emotional game, the way it ended and all of that.” Draymond Green, however, didn’t have much sympathy for AD.

The Warriors defender made his case: “The problem I have with this statement was, ‘Did you not know what you were doing up 20 midway through the third quarter?’ And then did Darvin Ham come in and say, ‘Sorry guys, we’re up 20 points. Let’s change the gameplan.’” They say don’t change a winning strategy. And there’s close to no possibility that Ham suggested Davis & Co. change the way they were playing. Assuming this, what prompted AD to say, “we just don’t know what we’re doing on both ends of the floor”?

At the end of the day, it’s not Darvin Ham who’s competing on the floor. It’s Davis and his team. Speaking of the team, LeBron James looked visibly frustrated with AD’s lack of effort at some points as well. What all this means is that the center needs to take accountability for what happened instead of blaming Ham. As Nikola Jokic & Co. shifted to another gear in the second half, the reigning champions made the Lakers look almost under-prepared, further ruining their chances of making it to the next round.

Can Anthony Davis, LeBron James & Co. make it to the Finals?

The Lakers are currently on the brink of elimination at the hands of Nikola Jokic and Co., who lead the series 3-0. While Anthony Davis is frustrated, throwing his coach under the bus and throwing microphones around in post-game pressers, he and LeBron James can’t help but wonder how to get out of this rut they’re stuck in. Visibly struggling, LeBron James uttered the words, “We’re supposed to have anxiety,” in a post-game presser.

Many others apart from Davis and James are struggling right now, especially D’Angelo Russell. His nearly scoreless night is the perfect example of how the playoffs are treating the Lakers. In just three games, his stat line has fallen, significantly impacting the entire team since everyone needs him for his defensive abilities.

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They’re now just one loss away from ending their season. An aging James can’t carry the team alone, and Anthony Davis and the others can’t seem to find a way to contain Jokic in his prime. So, to answer the question, no. The Lakers won’t likely make it past the Nuggets this year, too.

The reality is that there are going to be major changes in the Lakers franchise. We could see Russell or Darvin Ham (or both) finding the exit doors because Rob Pelinka and LeBron James’ ambition to win a championship could come in the way. After all, the King wants everything to be “almost perfect.”