"It was right in front of you": Alleged leaked audio shows LeBron James getting into ref's face over missed and-1 call
Following the Los Angeles Lakers 101-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Lakers' star LeBron James was seen allegedly getting into the referee's face over a missed and-1 call. James was seen to be frustrated over not receiving a foul call in the final minute of the game, which he allegedly brought up again soon after the match concluded.
"Why didn't you call the and one? Why didn't you call that sh*t? It was right in front of you," James allegedly said to the referee.
James called for an and-1 call after scoring a layup to put the Lakers up two at 99-97 with 47 seconds left in regulation. After his shot, Jamal Murray came up clutch, draining two mid-range shots with the second one coming at the buzzer to secure the win for the Nuggets.
LeBron James registered 26 points, eight rebounds, 12 assists, two steals, and two blocks to lead the Lakers' losing effort. With Monday's loss, the LA Lakers have not defeated the Denver Nuggets since early last year. The Lakers are 0-10 in the stretch while LeBron James played in nine of those games to go 0-9.
LeBron James lashes out at replay officials after heartbreaking loss to Nuggets
Towards the end of his post-game interview, when asked about the mental and emotional challenge of losing a heartbreaking game, LeBron James lashed out at the replay officials of the game. The four-time NBA champion highlighted the third-quarter foul on D'Angelo Russell, which he felt was a clear foul but was overturned.
“I don’t understand what’s going on in the replay center, to be honest,” James said towards the end of his postgame news conference. “I’ve said it this year, last year, whatever. ‘D-Lo’ clearly gets hit in the face on a drive. What the (expletive) do we have a replay center (for) if it’s going to go like that? It doesn’t make sense to me.”
“It makes no sense to me. It bothers me,” James continued. “I’m sorry to not answer your question, but what sh*t is that? … Like, what are we doing?”
The Lakers blew a 20-point lead in the third quarter, arguably making the loss even more devastating for the team. While Jamal Murray handed the Lakers the final dagger to clinch the game, Nikola Jokic registered a triple-double of 27 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead the Nuggets to the win.
The Lakers will look to end their 10-game losing streak to the Nuggets and bounce back in the playoff series with a win at home in Game 3 on Thursday.