Lakers' Coach Darvin Ham Contests Jordan Poole's Final Shot In Game 1 Of Western Conference Semis
Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers had a little bit of everything, including a coach getting involved on the floor thanks to Darvin Ham.
With the Lakers leading 115-112 with under 10 seconds left, Golden State guard Jordan Poole was left open beyond the three-point line. With no Lakers defenders closing in, the Los Angeles head coach decided to distract Poole.
Not only did Ham scream at Poole, but he also took one step onto the floor and raised his hand as if he was contesting the shot himself.
The angle of the camera during the live broadcast made it look Ham was within inches of Poole.
Another angle showed that there were a few feet between Ham and the Warriors' guard.
While it's common to see players on the bench shout and raise their hands before players shoot a three-point line near the sideline, coaches typically stay out of it, but Ham clearly couldn't help himself on Tuesday night.
A coach interfering with a player, even in the slightest, is most definitely not 'allowed' but this is the playoffs, so it will be interesting to see if the league actually steps in and makes a statement about Ham's antics or not.
The Lakers were able to hold off a late push from the Warriors to take a 1-0 lead in the series thanks to a 117-112 win on the road.
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