The evaluation of the Lakers didn’t stop just because they played an exhibition game with a depleted squad.
If anything, Lakers coach Darvin Ham said before the Lakers played the Sacramento Kings at the Honda Center Wednesday night, there were lessons to build on with the players who were on the court.
So, with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Jarred Vanderbilt sitting next to each other in street clothes and Austin Reaves and Cam Reddish also not playing and sitting nearby, the plan was for the other players to continue to build the right habits.
“We’ll just continue to build on our mentality and our mission, which is the mentality is to compete, defend and share and the mission is to build winning habits,” Ham said. “And no matter who suits up, who plays, that has to be the constant, that has to be the consistent approach.”
It began with starters D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Rui Hachimura, Taurean Prince and Jaxson Hayes putting that plan in place.
Read more: Lakers coach Darvin Ham wants Anthony Davis to take more three-pointers
And they set the right tone, especially the backcourt of Russell and Vincent during the Lakers’ 109-101 victory over the Kings.
Russell continued his stellar play in the exhibition season, posting 21 points on eight-for-12 shooting and two for five on three-pointers to go along with eight assists in just 21 minutes.
Vincent had 15 points on six-for-11 shooting to go along with three assists.
Prince was strong on defense while delivering 13 points and seven rebounds and Hachimura provided 13 points and six rebounds.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
