How do you miss this call?
The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics have the most storied rivalry in the NBA, but these days the teams are at opposite ends of the standings. The Celtics are coming off an NBA Finals appearance and currently have the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Lakers are just hoping to make the play-in tournament in the West, and right now own the third-worst record in the conference. The two teams played on Saturday night and gave us a more exciting game than anyone could have anticipated.
The Celtics beat the Lakers, 125-121, in an overtime thriller that came down the wire and had plenty of controversy at the end. The Celtics tied the game with four seconds left in regulation when Jaylen Brown finished an and-one through Patrick Beverley and made the foul shot. The Lakers had one last chance and put the ball in the hands of LeBron James. James drove to the basket and missed a layup as time expired, but it sure looked like he got fouled. The refs never blew the whistle.
The NBA has already determined they got the call wrong. Watch the video of the play here:
Here’s a closer look at the play that makes it obvious James was fouled:
LeBron couldn’t believe that he didn’t get the call:
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham also couldn’t believe LeBron didn’t get the call:
Darvin Ham on LeBron: “The best player on Earth can’t get a call. It’s amazing.”
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) January 29, 2023
Anthony Davis is probably going to get fined for his comments on the last play of regulation:
Patrick Beverley even brought a camera out to the floor to show the refs video of the play. This is an absolutely incredible moment:
Patrick Beverley grabbed a camera and walked across the court to show the ref the call he missed on LeBron.
He received a technical foul. pic.twitter.com/HBIQBblUi6
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) January 29, 2023
The Celtics improve to 36-15 on the season. The Lakers are now 23-27 overall. James continues to play at a remarkably high level — he finished with 41 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists on 15-of-30 shooting from the floor — but the Lakers just don’t have enough supporting talent as Anthony Davis slowly works his way back from injury.
The Lakers are no stranger to having a call go against them late this season:
Lakers might as well just take their team off the court in protest. This is 4 games that this has happened now just this season.
— Trevor Lane (@Trevor_Lane) January 29, 2023
The Lakers got screwed by the refs, but they didn’t do themselves any favors with their terrible late-game management either.
This has been a problem all season. The Lakers put themselves in position to get killed by one errant whistle.
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) January 29, 2023
The league admitted they got the call wrong after the game:
The NBA has already determined in its postgame review that the officials got the call wrong on the Lakers’ last possession of the 4th Q and a Jayson Tatum should have been called for a shooting foul on LeBron James, league sources told ESPN.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 29, 2023
The Last Two Minute Report isn’t going to make the Lakers feel any better tomorrow. James should have been going to the line for game-winning free throws.
