James was particularly agitated on many occasions during the fourth quarter when he believed he was fouled on drives that were not called, which compounded the aggravation of losing a 20-point lead.
The Lakers blasted the refereeing after their devastating 101-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on Monday night.
LeBron James of the Lakers was the most forthright in his remarks.
To be honest, James stated, “I have no idea what’s going on in the replay center.” It’s evident that [D’Angelo Russell] is struck in the face while driving. Why the devil do we have a replay center in case things go [that way]? I don’t think it makes sense.
James seemed to be talking about the play where, with 40 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Michael Porter Jr. was called for a foul after slapping Russell across the face during a drive to the basket.
Russell was about to shoot two free throws, but Nuggets coach Michael Malone successfully contested the call, giving the Nuggets the ball with the Lakers leading 79-69 late in the third.
After the game, Russell wrote, “That’s a foul we all saw it on national television,” on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Lakers’ complaints coincided with a statement from the Philadelphia 76ers to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, stating that following their 104-101 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday, the team intended to file a grievance with the league regarding the officiating in the first two games of their first-round series.
James remarked, “It doesn’t make sense to me.” It annoys me. It’s like that (expletive)… I also just witnessed what transpired during the Sixers vs. Knicks game. What on earth are we doing? It’s quite foolish.
Jamal Murray sank a 15-foot step-back jumper at the buzzer over Anthony Davis’s outstretched right arm to give the Nuggets a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Nuggets outscored the Lakers 32-20 in the fourth quarter.
Early in the third quarter, the Lakers had a 68-48 lead, but the Nuggets surprised everyone by outscoring the visitors 53-31 in the last 22 minutes.
The Lakers attempted 13 free throws on Monday, making 10, including three in the fourth quarter (1 for 3). During the regular season, they averaged 24.2 free throw attempts, which was the second-most in the NBA.
James was particularly agitated toward the officials on many occasions during the fourth quarter when he believed he was fouled on drives that were not called, which compounded his annoyance at losing a 20-point lead.
When asked how he planned to bounce back for Thursday’s Game 3 in Los Angeles, Coach Darvin Ham said, “Making it about to work and knowing that you still have [an] abundance of life.” “Life is still abundant in this regard. However, we must keep the focus on the work and make it that way. There are difficult calls and difficult non-calls in this life. But none of it can serve as a justification for you. Regardless of whether the whistle blows or not, you have to go out there and be prepared to create plays.”
“It’s getting really tricky,” said Ham. Over the course of the season, with games called in a certain way, and then the playoffs, I suppose it’s up to the interpretation of the three different individuals who are working there. Having said that, you should be aware that it does hurt. Keep this sensation in mind as we return to Los Angeles.
