In a heated aftermath to the Los Angeles Lakers’ heartbreaking 101-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series, LeBron James didn’t hold back in criticizing the officiating and the league’s replay center during his postgame remarks.
“I don’t understand what’s going on in the replay center, to be honest,” Jamessaid. This isn’t the first instance of James airing his grievances about the league’s replay process this season. Notably, he raised objections when his foot was deemed to be on the 3-point line in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and similarly, when an out of bounds call went against the Lakers in a matchup with the Golden State Warriors.
On Monday night, he specifically took issue with Michael Porter Jr.’s shooting foul on D’Angelo Russell late in the third quarter. This call, initially in favor of the Lakers, was swiftly overturned following a challenge from Nuggets coach Michael Malone. “D-Lo clearly gets hit in the face on a drive,” James exclaimed. “What the f— do we have a replay center for if it’s going to go [like that]? It doesn’t make sense to me.”
Teammate Russell echoed James’ sentiment, writing on X, “That’s a foul we all saw it on national television.”
The disputed call erased two crucial free throw attempts for Russell late in the third quarter, altering the course of the game. With the Lakers leading 79-69 at the time, the missed opportunity became even more significant as Denver clinched the win with Jamal Murray’s buzzer-beater.
Crew chief Scott Foster deemed Porter’s contact as “marginal,” further fueling James’ frustration. A Lakers source revealed that James’ foul on Murray with 58 seconds left in the game, which resulted in the Nuggets guard making two free throws to give the Nuggets a 99-97 lead, may also be classified as “edge contact.”
“It makes no sense to me,” James continued. “It bothers me. … That s— it like … And then I just saw what happened with the Sixers-Knicks game, too. Like, what are we doing?”
Despite the Lakers’ advantage in free throw attempts in Game 1, the disparity flipped in Game 2, underscoring the inconsistency in officiating. Adding to the Lakers’ woes was the foul trouble plaguing Anthony Davis, who was forced to sit out crucial moments of the game after picking up his fourth foul in the third quarter.
Lakers coach Darvin Ham highlighted the impact of foul trouble, particularly Anthony Davis’ fourth foul, which disrupted his dominant performance and limited his aggressiveness.
Despite the defeat, the Lakers remain determined to bounce back in Game 3 at Crypto.com Arena. “Win Game 3,” Davis said. “It’s that simple. Just win Game 3.”
Russell expressed confidence in the team’s resilience, acknowledging the positives despite the loss. However, there’s acknowledgment within the team of areas needing improvement, including missed opportunities and defensive lapses.
“Protect home,” James said. “That’s where my mindset goes. And obviously, the only game that matters now is Game 3 and how we can get better. How we can figure this team out. So Game 3 is where my mindset is.”
As the series unfolds, the Lakers aim to address their shortcomings and deliver a different outcome, leaving behind the frustrations of Game 2 as they prepare to face the Nuggets once again.
