29 April 2023 , 20:04
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LA Lakers boss Darvin Ham has backed Memphis Grizzlies to enjoy NBA success in the years to come after his team saw off Taylor Jenkins' side 125-85 on Friday.
The Lakers - who came through the Play-In tournament - continued their play-off campaign by seeing off the Grizzlies 4-2 to advance to the Western Conference semi-finals. Friday's clash proved to be a underwhelming end to the season for Memphis, who had finished as second seeds in the West, behind the Denver Nuggets.
Jenkins' team were well beaten in the end by the Lakers, but despite their stumbling finish Ham believes the Grizzlies team could well be a force to be reckoned with in the future.
Speaking after Friday's victory, the Lakers head coach said: "Salute to the Memphis Grizzlies. They’re not going anywhere. They’re going to be around for years to come. They’ve gone through some challenging moments during the season.
“I just told Taylor [Jenkins] I love him. He’s hell of a coach, hell of a staff. He’s been the leader that they need. They’ll heal up and get healthier this summer and probably make some moves. But they will be at the top of the food chain for years to come.”
LeBron James edges closer to NBA scoring record with jaw-dropping Lakers display
Darvin Ham's victory secured a comfortable victory (AP)One man who was back to his best in Game Six was Lakers - and NBA legend - LeBron James. The four-time NBA champion delivered a rare under-par performance in Game Five, but on Friday, James made 22 points, six assists and five rebounds during his teams comfortable victory. Speaking post-match he said: "It was definitely a Game Seven mentality for us. We understood that we had an opportunity to play in front of our fans, and we wanted to try to end it tonight."
Earning the praises of his coach, Dam added: "He's playing with a sense of urgency. He knows there's only so many more of these [postseason runs] he's going to be able to participate in. So he's definitely been in the moment."
The Lakers now await the winner of the series between their fellow Californian franchises, the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings who are level at 3-3 and will play their deciding game seven on Sunday night.