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LeBron James' LA Lakers secured their first preseason victory on Thursday, defeating their ex-coach Darvin Ham's Milwaukee Bucks 107-102 at Fiserv Forum. Afterward, one of James' friends comically trolled Bucks coach Doc Rivers and Ham, his lead assistant.
Ham has been the subject of criticism since LA fired him in early May and replaced him with rookie coach JJ Redick. Several Lakers players have seemingly taken subtle shots at Ham's coaching schemes, with reports emerging that he lost the veteran squad's locker room last season. Conversely, players have praised Redick for his preparation and attention to detail.
While Ham is no longer a head coach, he rebounded as Milwaukee's top assistant over the offseason, latching onto one of the Eastern Conference's premier contenders. Thus, he got a chance for redemption against LA ahead of the 2024-25 NBA regular season.
Hosting the Lakers for their second preseason outing on Thursday, the Bucks suffered a five-point loss. While both squad's reserves received extended minutes, that didn't stop James' companion Cuffs The Legend from taking a shot at Rivers and Ham.
He posted a clip from the contest on Instagram featuring the oft-criticized coaching duo appearing anxious and confused on the sideline. In his caption, he quipped about Rivers and Ham's lack of intelligence.
"Dumb and Dumber," Cuffs The Legend said.
LA's victory marked its first through three preseason outings, improving it to 1-2, while Milwaukee dropped to 0-2 in exhibition play. However, neither team is probably overly concerned about its preseason record.
Doc Rivers says Lakers' decision to fire Darvin Ham "makes no sense"
While Lakers players appear relieved that LA moved on from Darvin Ham, according to Doc Rivers, the organization possibly made a mistake.
Ahead of Thursday's preseason clash, Rivers raved about Ham's impact since re-joining Milwaukee. Ham previously served as an assistant with the franchise from 2018 to 2022, winning the 2021 NBA championship. So, he is familiar with some of the team's players, including superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
"It's been great. First of all, he's been here even longer than me. He knows things that I didn't know," Rivers said. "He has relationships with the players. Another guy they can trust. Trust is so important for players. And more importantly, he deserves it."
Afterward, Rivers touched on the Lakers firing Ham despite his 90-74 coaching record over two seasons. He highlighted how Ham leading LA to the 2023 Western Conference finals should have earned him job security.
"I'm not going to get into the whole thing that happened there, but he took a team to a Western finals, and then the following year, he won the in-season tournament, which they say we should have a lot of value on, and then they released him," Rivers said. "It literally makes no sense, but it happens. It happens to all of us."
Rivers failed to meet expectations in his first half-season as Milwaukee's coach, finishing with a 17-19 record. Despite entering the campaign with championship hopes, his banged-up squad suffered a six-game first-round playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers. So, he and Ham will look to get the Bucks back to title contention this season.
Also Read: Bucks hint Giannis Antetokounmpo is the reason for Lakers' Milwaukee trip as LeBron James complains
