The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a heartbreaking defeat on the road in Boston on Saturday night, as a controversial non-call at the end of regulation denied LeBron James the chance to win the game at the free-throw line.
With the game tied at 105, James drove to the rim and attempted a layup, but Jayson Tatum made clear contact with James’ arm. No foul was called, and the clock expired to send the game to overtime, in which the Celtics won. According to multiple reports, the Lakers were quickly informed by the league after the game that the officials made a mistake, but that admission will nott take the sting out of the loss for Lakers players and fans.
After the game, Anthony Davis ripped the officiating crew.
“We got cheated tonight, honestly. It’s a blatant foul. Pat (Beverley) got all ball on Jaylen Brown. Called a foul. And Bron gets smacked across his arm. It’s unacceptable, to be honest.”
(Warning: video contains profanity)
“It’s bullshit. It’s unacceptable. I guarantee you nothing's gonna happen to the ref. We got cheated tonight. It's a blatant foul… Refs were bad tonight."
Anthony Davis RIPPED the refs after missing the late foul on LeBron James 😳
(via @jovanbuha)pic.twitter.com/rvlA6VwvBH
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) January 29, 2023
LeBron James said he doesn’t understand why he seems to be getting fewer calls than other players who regularly attack the rim.
“I don’t get it. I’m attacking the paint just as much as any of the other guys in this league that’s shooting double-digit free throws a night.”
LeBron James was frustrated at the officiating tonight, something he says that has been building up with the games the Lakers believe have been partly decided by bad calls and no-calls that have gone against them: pic.twitter.com/JoAYPj11tR
— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) January 29, 2023
