First Sportz lays out the playing field for the game between the Boston Celtics and The LA Lakers that brought LeBron James to his knees.
On Saturday night, the match-up was the first of a five-game road trip for The Lakers. The team was on the hunt for a win after losing a few weeks earlier to the Celtics in overtime.
With 4.1 seconds remaining in regulation game time and the score tied, The Lakers were in control of the ball, and a score would mean a win. LeBron James had possession of the basketball. James approached the hoop, and as he initiated a left-handed layup to make the winning basket, Jayson Tatum of the Celtics fouled James on the arm.
Expecting the referee to call a foul on Tatum, the team, coaches, and spectators were stunned when no foul was forthcoming. Regulation play ended, and the game went into overtime.
According to the First Sportz report, James was visibly angry and disappointed by the lack of proper officiating when the referee ignored the foul.
The Western Journal describes James reacting to no foul called by the referee as a tantrum not to be expected from a 20-year NBA veteran. James slapped the court, held his head in disbelief, and fell to his knees, putting his hands and face on the court.
Had the referee called a foul on Tatum, it would have resulted in James getting two free throws, and if he connected, The Lakers would have won.
When overtime began, the first play was by Tatum, who started the game with a technical free throw. The play occurred because Patrick Beverly approached a referee with a photographers camera to show the referee that there had been contact between Tatum and Jamess arm on the final shot by James during regulation play.
According to ESPN, Lakers player Anthony Davis said, (Tatum) fouled him. He fouled him. Clearly. Clearly. Its bulls***. Its unacceptable. And I guarantee nothing is going to happen to the refs. We got cheated tonight, honestly. Its a blatant foul... its unacceptable, to be honest. The refs were bad. They were bad tonight.
James said, Its challenging. I dont get it. Im attacking the paint just as much as any of the guys in this league thats shooting double-digit free throws a night, and I dont get it. I dont understand it.
In reality, missed calls happen.
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