LeBron James should have had two chances to win Saturday’s road game in Boston from the foul line at the end of regulation, but a critical missed call sent the game to overtime and led to intense backlash from fans and analysts alike across the league.
With the game tied at 105 and the clock running down, James drove to the basket and elevated for a layup. He was hit on the arm by Boston’s Jayson Tatum. The officiating crew, however, missed the contact and allowed play to continue, and the clock wound down to send the game to overtime. Boston went on to win, 125-121.
With the Lakers in the heat of the playoff race in the Western Conference, every win and loss has significant consequences — and the replays showed that the contact to James’ arm was obvious.
This is one of the worst non calls I’ve seen. Literally cost @KingJames & #Lakers #SMH pic.twitter.com/6IqIGYWrbm
— Jerry Hairston, Jr. (@TheRealJHair) January 29, 2023
Patrick Beverley later brought a camera to an official to provide evidence that James was fouled, and was promptly assessed a technical foul.
Here’s what fans and analysts were saying about Saturday’s game:
LeBron was not happy after this play to win the game. pic.twitter.com/FNMPBQTHox
— ESPN (@espn) January 29, 2023
LeBron couldn’t believe it pic.twitter.com/BJELILs11r
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) January 29, 2023
It was NON CALLS like that as a former player, Tatum on LeBron, that used to drive me CRAZY!! 6 damn eyes out there and the officials swallow their whistles.. That baseline official had a clear view of it, MAKE THE CALL.. @NBA
— Reggie Miller (@ReggieMillerTNT) January 29, 2023
Patrick Beverley brings a camera onto the court to show a ref that a foul should've been called on the LeBron James layup try. 🏀📹 pic.twitter.com/uvgLYFt99W
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 29, 2023
LeBron James on the final possession: “You saw my reaction. … It’s challenging. I don’t get it.” pic.twitter.com/sz2hODTDQi
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) January 29, 2023
Refs ruin another LeBron masterclass. pic.twitter.com/pD3KSBst7c
— LeBron History 🏀 (@bronhistory) January 29, 2023
Sources say the Lakers have already heard from league officials that the end of regulation play was incorrect and that a foul should've been called sending LeBron James to the FT line. Expect the L2M to say the same
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) January 29, 2023
Wow @NBAOfficial wow that call? Casper the ghost showed up….. and a no call on @KingJames last shot. WOW
— Ron Harper (@HARPER04_5) January 29, 2023
Terrible officiating down the stretch in Lakers-Celtics. What’s the point of having replay if that obvious foul by the Celtics on the LeBron layup can’t be reviewed?
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) January 29, 2023
Darvin Ham, not one to typically criticize officiating, when asked about the final play of regulation when Tatum hit LeBron’s left arm:
“The best player on earth can’t get a call. It’s amazing.”
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 29, 2023
.@JamesWorthy42 peaks his true feelings about the news about Lebron's miss call being confirmed a foul. pic.twitter.com/dAdrZrLo1V
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 29, 2023
Did the refs really think LeBron missed that layup point blank & hit NOTHING BUT BACKBOARD all by himself? You don’t believe that. We know you don’t believe that. As rigged as a game can get to end this one.
— GoldenKnight (@GoldenKnightGFX) January 29, 2023
I will never get over not calling that foul for LeBron. Ever.
— Jacob Rude (@JacobRude) January 29, 2023
LeBron James is the 1st player in NBA history to record 100 30-point games with 3 different franchises. pic.twitter.com/VJibM50lxr
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 29, 2023
Jayson Tatum on the missed foul call on LeBron James at the end of regulation:
Last two minutes and overtime were a blur. I don’t really know WHAT happened. pic.twitter.com/eoYmSinDZo
— Cameron Tabatabaie (@CTabatabaie) January 29, 2023
This is going to be like the fourth time this season LeBron has CLEARLY been fouled going to the basket at the end of a game, and nothing was called.
— Colb (@___Colb___) January 29, 2023
You can be a LeBron hater all you want idc but the Lakers have been robbed of MINIMUM 5-6 games this season ONLY because of the refs!!! This is so pathetic and it’s happening around the rest of the league too. The rules need to be changed. These refs and ruining the game.
— Los 🍇 (@LosPollosTV) January 29, 2023
Jason Tatum knew exactly what he was doing. Foul LeBron because he's historically such a shaky late-game free throw shooter. BUT THEY DIDN'T CALL THE OBVIOUS HACK ON THE ARM. FOR ONCE LEBRON DID WHAT HE SHOULD HAVE AND WE DIDN'T GET TO SEE IF HE COULD'VE MADE 1 OF 2 FREE THROWS.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 29, 2023
In a pool report from tonight’s game, referee Eric Lewis admitted the officials missed a call at the end of regulation that would have awarded LeBron James potential game-winning free throws: pic.twitter.com/fFD8Gv70zm
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 29, 2023
"We have no have room for error. This is one of the best games we've played all year, and to have it fall on somebody's else's judgment, or non-judgement, is just ridiculous." – LeBron, on the potentially game-winning missed foul against him on the last play vs. Boston. AK
— Kamenetzky Brothers (@KamBrothers) January 29, 2023
