Handy, 52, has been around basketball for a long time. He began in the NBA as a developmental coach with the Lakers in 2011, joined the Cavaliers as an assistant in 2013 and had a two-year stint on the Raptors bench before coming back to Los Angeles.

Darvin Ham, having already overseen the loss of a 20-point second-half lead with minimal adjustments, did nothing. Murray sank the free throws. Denver won at the buzzer. A golden opportunity to seize home-court advantage against an opponent that had so thoroughly dominated the Lakers during his coaching tenure slipped through his fingers.