The National Association of Basketball Officials released a statement about a brutal foul called on LeBron James as the sports world turned its attention to the NFC Championship Game on Sunday night.
With sports fans focused on the Philadelphia Eagles’ beating of the San Francisco 49ers, the union’s official Twitter account offered its own comments on the call. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar appeared to have been hit in the arm as she was about to make a last-second layup against the Boston Celtics on Saturday. There was no foul on the play.
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«Like everyone else, refs make mistakes,» the tweet read. «We made one late in the game last night and that’s heartbreaking for us. This play will weigh heavily and cause sleepless nights as we strive to be the best referees we can be.»
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (6) misses a shot against Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum, top center, late in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, in Boston.
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
In a 105-105 game with about 4 seconds remaining, James went to his left and drove down the lane to the basket. James was surrounded by three Celtics defenders and went to the basket left-handed, and it looked like Jayson Tatum hit him on the arm.
James missed the layup and no foul was called on the play. The Lakers superstar was beside himself over the no call and fell to the ground in disbelief. Patrick Beverley, at one point, came over with a camera to show the referee what he missed. He received a technical foul.
«I don’t understand. I don’t understand what we’re doing, and I watch basketball every day,» James said after the game. «I watch games every day and I don’t see it happen to anyone else. It’s just weird.»
January 28, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, United States; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) reacts during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.
(Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports)
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Anthony Davis said it more directly.
«He fouled him. He fouled him. Clearly. Clearly,» Davis said via the Los Angeles Times. «This is nonsense —. But at the end of the day, it’s unacceptable. And I guarantee nothing will happen to the refs. They fooled us tonight, honestly.»
«It’s a flagrant foul. I think Pat gave the whole ball to Brown – Jaylen Brown. They call a foul. And Bron gets hit in the arm [and they don’t]. It’s unacceptable, to be honest. The referees were bad. They were bad tonight.»
January 28, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, United States; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) reacts during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.
(Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports)
The game would go to overtime, and Boston would come out with a 125-121 victory.
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For the Lakers, umpire errors could cost them a potential game in the win column. Los Angeles is fighting for a spot in the game if nothing else. The Lakers fell to 23-27 with the loss.