LeBron James criticizes referees following defeat to Nuggets

The Los Angeles Lakers faced a disheartening loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday, deepening their series deficit to 2-0 after Jamal Murray's dramatic buzzer-beater. In the aftermath, LeBron James voiced significant concerns regarding the game's officiating, specifically targeting the performance of the replay center.

James criticized a pivotal moment in the game when an initial foul call on Denver's Michael Porter Jr., who seemed to hit D'Angelo Russell across the face, was overturned after officials reviewed the play. The referees ultimately deemed the contact to be "marginal" and rescinded the foul. This decision did not sit well with James, who felt that it was just one of several questionable calls that disadvantaged the Lakers.


Despite the loss, D'Angelo Russell had a strong performance, rebounding from a subpar Game 1 where he shot 6-for-20. In Game 2, Russell scored 23 points and tied a franchise postseason record with seven made 3-pointers, indicating a resilient spirit moving forward.

However, the game statistics highlighted areas for improvement. James himself struggled, going 4-for-11 on shots at the rim, matching the highest number of misses in such situations since he joined the Lakers. Rui Hachimura also had a tough game, shooting 1-for-7 as a starter, and the Lakers' bench was outscored by Denver's reserves 12-6.

With the series now tilted heavily in Denver's favor, James acknowledged that dwelling on past officiating won't alter the outcome. The Lakers' focus must shift to preparation and execution in upcoming games if they hope to turn the series around.

Source Sportsnet : Lakers' LeBron James criticizes overturned foul call: 'Makes no sense to me'
Source ESPN : Lakers' LeBron James rips officiating after loss to Nuggets