Lakers coach responds to Kerr comments on flops; Curry named to All-NBA
second team
NBA Playoffs: Darvin Ham stays above the fray; Steph Curry named
second-team All-NBA
>New Lakers coach Darvin Ham talks to reporters during his introductory
press conference on Monday in El Segundo. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
By CURTIS PASHELKA | cpashelka@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: May 10, 2023 at 6:48 p.m. | UPDATED: May 10, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/05/10/lakers-coach-responds-to-comments-by-warriors-kerr-on-flops-gamesmanship/

SAN FRANCISCO – One day after Warriors coach Steve Kerr bemoaned what he
felt were glaringly obvious flops by Los Angeles Lakers players trying
to draw charges, his counterpart, Darvin Ham, claimed the high road,
saying he didn’t want to get into a back-and-forth regarding any
contentious calls by NBA officials.

Kerr said Tuesday there “was definitely some gamesmanship” by the Lakers
during Monday’s Game 4, particularly late in the fourth quarter when
Draymond Green was called for a foul as he attempted to set a screen on
guard Lonnie Walker IV, who tumbled to the floor upon contact.

Kerr said Tuesday that it was “a blatant flop. (Walker) just takes a
dive and the ref bought it.”

Asked about Kerr’s comment prior to Game 5 on Wednesday at Chase Center,
Ham stayed above the fray.

“I just control what I can control. That’s coaching my team,” Ham said.
“I don’t go down the rabbit hole, pointing fingers, blaming the
official. I never did when I was an assistant coach and I don’t want to
start now. Our job is to try to put together the best plan to be
successful.”

The foul disparity had been clear through the first four games of the
series, as the Warriors had been whistled for 28 more fouls than the
Lakers (91-63). The Lakers have also shot 52 more free throws than the
Warriors (103-51).

All of that had resulted in 47 additional points for Los Angeles through
four games, as the Lakers led the Western Conference semifinal series
three games to one before Wednesday.

On Monday, the Lakers went 20-for-20 from the free throw line en route
to a 104-101 win at Crypto.com Arena.

“I give them credit,” Kerr said Tuesday. ‘If you can sell a call in this
league, then do it. You do whatever it takes to win.”

CURRY HONORED AGAIN: Steph Curry was selected to the All-NBA team for
the ninth time in his career, with the league announcing Wednesday that
the two-time MVP had been named to the second team.

It’s the fourth time – and the second straight year — that Curry has
been named second-team all-league. Now in his 14th season, Curry has
also been named to the first team four times and the third team once.

Curry averaged 29.4 points, 6.3 assists, and 6.1 rebounds in 56 games
this season. Curry missed 11 games from mid-December to early January
with a subluxation of his left shoulder. Curry also had to sit 11 games
from early February to early March with partial tears to his superior
tibiofibular ligaments and interosseous membrane, and a contusion on his
left lower leg. Curry was the only Warriors player named all-league.

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4 loss

Also voted to the second team were Boston’s Jaylen Brown, Miami’s Jimmy
Butler, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell.

Voted to the first team were Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dallas’
Luka Doncic, the 76ers’ Joel Embiid, Oklahoma City’s Shai
Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum. On the third team
were Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, the Lakers’ LeBron
James, Portland’s Damian Lillard, New York’s Julius Randle. For Lillard,
an Oakland native, it was his seventh all-NBA selection.

Staff writer Madeline Kenney contributed to this story.

--
Curtis Pashelka | San Jose Sharks reporter
Curtis Pashelka is a Bay Area News Group sports reporter covering the
San Jose Sharks for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. He has also
worked as a general assignment reporter covering the Oakland Athletics,
San Francisco Giants, Golden State Warriors, motorsports, golf, college
basketball and high school sports. Originally from Calgary, Alberta, he
moved to the Bay Area in 1994 and began working full-time for Bay Area
News Group in 2000. Curtis attended Diablo Valley College and San
Francisco State University.