Lakers File Complaint With NBA Over LeBron James' Free Throws
Photo: Instagram/LeBron James |
In a surprising turn of events, the Los Angeles Lakers have officially filed a complaint with the NBA league office, alleging that LeBron James is not receiving enough foul calls during games.
This move comes after Monday's narrow 108-107 loss to the Miami Heat, during which both James and head coach Darvin Ham expressed their frustration with missed foul calls. The complaint, as reported by ESPN's Dave McMenamin, points to "numerous missed foul calls," with a particular focus on perceived non-calls against James.
The Lakers even provided video evidence from the game to support their claim of illegal contact against the star player. In that game, LeBron James finished with 30 points but made only four free throws.
Photo: Instagram/LeBron James |
In contrast, the Miami Heat attempted 16 free throws as a team, while the Lakers had 14 attempts. The Lakers were also penalized with 17 fouls, while the Heat received 14.
James himself addressed a specific missed call after the game, highlighting an incident in which he appeared to have been elbowed in the face without a foul being called. This particular non-call resulted in a technical foul for Coach Darvin Ham, who protested the officiating.
This play is the one under scrutiny:
Los Lakers deberían enviar una maldita cinta a la NBA con todas las faltas no cobradas a LeBron
— Lakers On 𝕏 (@LakersOnX) November 7, 2023
Así como lo hizo Phil Jackson en el pasado pic.twitter.com/itjhheD0Ss
One of the central issues at hand is LeBron James' free-throw rate this season, which is at a career-low 5.7 attempts per game through seven games. This is significantly below his career average of 7.7 attempts per game.
While James has shifted his playing style towards more perimeter and three-point shooting, he remains a vocal critic of NBA officiating and its impact on his free-throw rate. This is not the first time James and the Lakers have raised concerns about officiating.
The game isn’t won or lost in the last 2 mins! If you know the game things happen throughout the 1st, 2nd. 3rd and first 10 mins of 4th that has MAJOR impact on outcomes. https://t.co/ReW6r43Wax
— LeBron James (@KingJames) November 8, 2023
In the past, James has used social media and post-game interviews to express his views. In fact, earlier this year, he even suggested a conspiracy theory on social media, hinting that the NBA might be biased against him and the Lakers.
It's important to note that missed calls are a common occurrence in sports, and officiating is a challenging task. Calls can sometimes go in favor of a team, and sometimes they do not.
It's important to note that missed calls are a common occurrence in sports, and officiating is a challenging task. Calls can sometimes go in favor of a team, and sometimes they do not.
And all year they keep telling me to my face on the court, “I didn’t see it” or “It wasn’t a foul”. It’s not making sense to me seriously! Frustrating as hell man! Anyways keep going Squad! 💜💛👑 https://t.co/tsrlXtJjuO
— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 16, 2023
The Lakers, however, are known for being vocal about calls that they believe went against them, and this formal complaint to the NBA is the latest expression of their discontent.
The question remains: Is LeBron James being officiated fairly, and will the NBA address the Lakers' concerns? The league will likely investigate the matter further to ensure transparency and fairness in its officiating.
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Source: Yahoo Sports
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