TITLE: Lakers Voice Frustration With Officiating After 125-107 Game 2 Loss to Thunder
SLUG: lakers-voice-frustration-officiating-game-2-loss
CONTENT:
Tempers flared Thursday after the Los Angeles Lakers fell 125-107 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of their Western Conference series. Austin Reaves and several teammates sought out the officiating crew before leaving the floor, and head coach JJ Redick soon echoed their concerns in his post-game remarks.
“I sarcastically said the other day, (the Thunder are) the most disruptive team without fouling,” Redick told reporters. “They have a few guys that foul on every possession. They’re hard enough to play as is, so you just have to call it when it happens.”
Through two games, Oklahoma City has attempted 38 free throws to Los Angeles’ 34. Redick argued that the gap does not reflect how often LeBron James is hit on drives.
“LeBron has the worst whistle of any star player I’ve ever seen,” the coach said. “He gets clobbered. He got clobbered again tonight a bunch. The guy gets hit on the head more than any player I’ve seen, and it rarely gets called.”
James, who has taken just five free throws in the series, declined to discuss the officiating. Reaves, however, detailed an exchange with crew chief John Goble during a late-game jump-ball situation.
“We’re grown men. I didn’t feel like he needed to yell in my face like that,” Reaves said. “If I did that to him first, I would’ve gotten a tech. I feel like the only reason I didn’t get a tech is because he knew he was in the wrong.”
Despite the complaints, Redick acknowledged that officiating was not the decisive factor. The Thunder have won both games by 18 points.
“We didn’t lose because of the refs,” he said. “You lose because the other team outplayed you. They obviously outplayed us, so we just have to be better at both ends.”
Source: HoopsRumors
