The Los Angeles Lakers were crying foul after their 125-107 loss in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. While they’re cognizant that the officiating wasn’t the sole reason they lost, there were some instances where it looked like they weren’t getting the benefit of the doubt from the referees.
There were multiple times when LeBron James felt he was unfairly officiated during the game, which caused coach JJ Redick to comment that the NBA’s all-time leading scorer “has the worst whistle of any star player” he’s seen. Austin Reaves, who had a much-needed breakout performance with 31 efficient points, was also upset with the way the game was called.
During a jump ball in the fourth quarter, official John Goble said something poignant to Reaves as the latter lined up. Oklahoma City won the tip and got a 3-pointer from Cason Wallace, and as a timeout was called, Reaves went on a profanity-laced tirade directed at Goble.
Once the game ended, Reaves again had some angry words for the officials as several of his teammates stood by. When talking to the media, he explained what happened during that jump-ball sequence that made him upset.
“When we were doing the whole tip ball and they were switching spots, I wanted to get on the other side because they had a guy on the other side,” Reaves said. “We were just trying to keep an advantage. He turned around and just yelled in my face.
“I just thought it was disrespectful…But at the end of the day, we’re grown men and I just didn’t feel like he needed to yell in my face like that. I told him that. I wasn’t disrespectful. I told him if I did that to him first, I would have got a tech. I felt the only reason I didn’t get a tech was he knew he was in the wrong.”
Redick, however, tried to make it clear that neither he nor anyone else on his team was blaming the referees for the outcome of Game 2.
“We didn’t lose because of the refs,” Redick said. “That’s never the case. You don’t lose because of refs. You lose because the other team outplays you and Oklahoma City outplayed us.”
The simple truth is that the Lakers now trail this best-of-seven series two games to none and face a virtual must-win situation at home in Game 3 on Saturday. Whether the officiating doesn’t change or becomes a little more tilted in their favor, they must find ways to resolve their deficiencies in order to get into this series.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Austin Reaves on his tirade at referee John Goble in Game 2
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
