Head coach Darvin Ham may be about to answer the desperate pleas of Los Angeles Lakers fans who were clamoring for forward Rui Hachimura to be in the starting lineup following LA's Game 1 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Ham is considering starting Hachimura in Game 2, league sources told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

“Sources tell me Darvin Ham is considering starting Rui Hachimura for Game. It's a decision that he's keeping very close to the vest.”

Hachimura enjoyed one of his best games of the NBA Playoffs, as he scored 17 points on uber-efficient 8 of 11 shooting from the field in the loss to the Nuggets.

Acquired from the Washington Wizards in a January trade, Hachimura averaged a little over 9 points and 4 rebounds per game during the regular season.

He played over 22 minutes a night in 33 regular season games for the Lakers.

Hachimura was a huge part of the gameplan in the Lakers' first round series win over the Memphis Grizzlies, as he averaged 14.5 points per game while knocking down an absurd 52.4 percent of his three-point attempts.

But he saw less playing time against the Golden State Warriors.

Still, it's no surprise that Ham is considering making the change.

Hachimura would give the Lakers' starting lineup even more length, and while he's a streaky shooter, would help LA to stretch the floor.

Not only that, but he proved to be one of the few defenders capable of slowing down Nuggets star big man Nikola Jokic towards the end of his Game 1 rampage.

Ham proved he wasn't afraid to make a change when he inserted Dennis Schroder in the Game 1 lineup.

It appears he might not be afraid to make another change if it's needed, especially one that could be as impactful as having Hachimura in the starting five.