Darvin Ham credited the Los Angeles Lakers' resolve after they fell to a 133-122 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, praising his team for refusing to fold.
The Lakers fought back multiple times over the course of the game to ultimately force overtime at 120 apiece, before their hosts eked out victory at the Wells Fargo Center.
A 31-point haul for Anthony Davis, aided by 25 for Austin Reaves and 23 for LeBron James, was not enough for the Lakers to stave off a third consecutive defeat.
However, Ham was in a bullish mood when quizzed on his team's performance, saying there were plenty of positives to take away despite their stinging reverse.
"We can get better from this," he stated. "I told the team, as disappointed as I am that we didn't get the win, I still can have a good meal and sleep like a baby tonight because of the way we competed.
"We did not quit, we did not give up. There was a point in the game where we could've just folded our tent.
"But we kept scratching away, kept digging deep, kept making plays one stop after another one and put ourselves in a position to win the game."
Tough one. pic.twitter.com/LtBz5QYpKQ
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 10, 2022
Meanwhile, 76ers coach Doc Rivers said his side rallied well to seize victory after letting their initial lead slip on several occasions.
"We will take the win," he added. "Usually when you give up a lead like that, to gather yourself and play well in overtime is rare."
The Lakers will round off their road stretch against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, before heading home to face the Boston Celtics.