Sam Amick

USA TODAY Sports

In NBA A to Z Diaries, Insiders Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt will provide insight, analysis and revelations from around the league in a free-flowing attempt to make sense of this 2016-17 season. Here, we look at the Lakers’ surprisingly strong early start and share a sit down interview with first-year coach Luke Walton this week.

LOS ANGELES – The Staples Center buzz wasn’t quite as palpable for much of Tuesday night.

Here in this blue state big city, where Lakers fans were busy checking election results on their cell phones while looking up to enjoy the latest showcase of their young talent, it was quite clear the multitasking led to mixed emotions for many. But even with the Lakers falling 109-97 to the beleaguered Dallas Mavericks (2-5) in what was their first home loss in four tries, Luke Walton’s debut is – eight games and a 4-4 record in – an indisputable improvement from their 17-win campaign in 2015-16.

The offense is better (29th last season to 13th), with Walton employing an up-tempo style that has made it fun to watch Lakers basketball again. There have been defensive strides, too (30th to 20th).

The part you can’t quantify, however, is Walton’s ability to create a culture. Players are raving about him, talking about trust and unity and chemistry. Walton, the beloved Lakers reserve turned coaching prodigy, discussed his challenge with USA TODAY Sports.

Luke Walton has Lakers exciting again

“They only have positive things to say about me because we've only been here for so long,” he said with a laugh. “I think in time, they won't think so highly of me.”

Maybe or maybe not, but he’s off to a good start.

Q: So the Lakers last year didn’t get their fourth win until mid-December. But now you’ve got that head coaching hat on. And if I had to guess, you’re probably trying to temper expectations. What are you seeing so far and how are you guys getting it done?

A: I’m seeing a team come together. And I said before the season, one of the greatest things about sports that I love is that – no matter the expectations are on a group – when a group comes together and has belief, especially at a high level like this where everyone can play, there’s no reason why we can’t go out and win games and compete in games and have a successful season. It’s been great to see our guys kind of start to build that belief in themselves, and in them as a group.

But (you’re) right, as a coach you bring up numbers and I’m thinking, ‘All right, well we’re still giving up 108 points a game and we’re in the bottom of the league in turnovers and free throws.’ So these are the numbers I’m looking at, because these are the numbers that we need to still fix. The challenging part of it is that when you keep losing, it’s easy to point to these things and say, ‘We have to do this better.’ But you win a couple games as a team, and then you harp on your guys about doing the little things better, and it normally doesn’t hit home as hard. I think our guys are a good young group of guys that do realize we need to get better at these things, so I’m hoping we continue to work on that, but it’s been a fun season so far.

Q: It seems as if it were just yesterday we were in Cleveland during the Finals (when Walton was a Golden State Warriors assistant) hypothetically talking about players who were going to become your players. Behind the scenes, what kind of strategy did you put into place to connect with them as you have?

A: Well first, I think they only have positive things to say about me because we've only been here for so long (laughs). … The gameplan from the get-go was to first put together a coaching staff that I knew would relate to players and were in the coaching game for the right reasons, and that's because they cared about people and players and they wanted to do something special. That was the first step, sitting down and going through the league and people I know and interviewing people, I felt like we did a great job of hiring a staff that I can a hundred percent trust and views the game the same way I do in certain ways and different in certain ways, so that we could have different mindsets on things (Walton’s staff is headed by former Denver Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw and includes Jesse Murmuys, Mark Madsen, Brian Keefe, Jud Buechler, and Theo Robertson).

And then to me, it's about showing the guys that we're here for them. It's not about us as coaches. Everything in the coaching world should be about your players and this is their time and trying to provide them the best platform, atmosphere, you can for them to succeed. I think players are smart, and when they see that then they're willing -- they're more willing at least -- to buy into what you're trying to do.

Q: In terms of the rhythm and trying to maximize your own impact here, how different is this challenge? You did the whole first half last season (filling in for Steve Kerr as head coach of the Warriors while he recovered from a back problem), but how does it compare and what are you learning there?

A: Well we're just in completely different phases right now. When I took over for Steve up there, Steve had already set the tone and the culture the year before, and we were just already building on what we did as a group coming off an NBA championship. This year, it's starting from the basics in the beginning as far as who we want to be over the next three, four, five years. Because of that, it's a lot of tedious work, a lot of putting in the fundamentals, a lot of repetition of basic concepts, which isn't nearly as fun for the players or coaches, but it's what needs to be done in my opinion to ensure that as this thing goes we have a foundation to fall back on.

Q:D’Angelo Russell had, at times, a tough offseason. How did you go about that particular relationship?

A: Early on, it was just literally a phone call to everybody on the team. It was reaching out, making a connection, saying hello. But for what we were doing, I told them all to save my number, and if they wanted to talk (then) call me, but that most of my time and commitment was going to be with the Warriors until the season was over. And then from there, when I got down here, the relationships started to build.

But it was more just talking about the way we want to play, what I saw out of the guys last year. Then we had summer league come around, and then we were actually able to work with some of the guys and then they just kept coming in all summer long, so they've done most of the work. We've just been here for them. We haven't had really any issues with D'Angelo or any of the guys since we've been here.

Q: This city you know so well, and where you’ve had so many good times here … and LA is excited again about what you guys are doing. How much fun has that been?

A: It's awesome. The fans have been absolutely incredible. The energy, like you said, at Staples Center, it feels like almost what it used to (feel like) when we were in the playoffs here. They've been showing, and supporting, and being loud. And for a new group together, for a young group, I think that's really important, is to be able to feed off of that crowd at home games. I think that it goes both ways - we get a feed off the crowd, but we also have to provide that energy for the crowd to get them to get loud. I think our guys have competed every night, and played in a way that the crowd is excited about. And then the crowd starts to take care of us later in the game when guys are tired.

Q: So I literally booked my flight to come down here 20 minutes after you guys beat the Warriors. Did that game (a 117-97 win on Friday at Staples Center) have extra meaning?

A: It didn't have extra meaning. Obviously I enjoyed it because I have a unique relationship with my guys up there, and a lot of that is surrounded with trash talking.

Q: Draymond (Green) was coming at you, right?

A: Draymond always comes at me, so it was nice to get one of those in the pocket for later on. But as far as wins and losses, it was great to beat a top-tier team for our own guys' confidence. But me personally, it was -- it was a great, fun win to play my old guys, but it was nothing beyond that.

Q: Was it surreal though, from a life standpoint, just to see how in a few months so many different people are in different places?

NBA is in good hands with this plethora of 23-and-younger stars

A: That's part of what you tell the players. Don't ever take anything for granted. I remember Steve telling the guys that up in Golden State, and Phil (Jackson) when I was a player here, ‘Every year has its own life, and it takes on its own form, because (it's) never the same. Whether it's players, or a trainer that retires, or whatever it is, every single year the group you have is unique to that season and you should really value that.’

Q: You even think about talking playoffs to this team? What kind of carrot do you put out in front of them?

A: Nothing. Nothing about that. We're all about what's in front of us. We're taking the season, breaking it down to five-game blocks, seeing where improvement is happening, seeing where we're not improving, trying to play to a certain standard, and that's it for now.

Q: How’s your back? You healthy, feeling good? Any volleyball lately? (he’s an avid volleyball player)

A: Unfortunately there's been no volleyball in my life since the season started, but if I ever get a day off I will be down there.