Toronto Raptors vs LA Lakers L2M report shows LeBron James and Co at disadvantage, not Darko Rajakovic's team
Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic went on a rant on Wednesday night after their 132-131 loss against the LA Lakers. Rajakovic complained that the officials heavily favored the Lakers, especially in the fourth quarter, where they had 23 attempts at the free-throw line.
The NBA released its L2M (Last Two Minute) Report in the game on Wednesday. It showed that the officials missed a few calls, but the missed calls weren't in favor of what Rajakovic was complaining about. Rather, it showed that the Lakers were at a disadvantage in foul calls on the night.
The two crucial fouls that weren't called by the referees could have given the LA Lakers more chances.
You may also like: "They fouled and we didn't": LeBron James breaks silence on LA Lakers' free throw disparity with nonchalant response
Why Toronto Raptors vs LA Lakers L2M report is surprising
The non-calls against the Raptors are surprising, as Rajakovic had complained that his team was officiated poorly. There were plays during the game that could've turned things around. Let's look at the two plays the officials failed to call.
The first call against the Raptors happened at the 01:33 minute mark. The officials missed calling an offensive foul against Scottie Barnes, who charged at Austin Reaves.
Barnes set a screen for his teammate Dennis Schroeder, who was guarded by Reaves. But he wasn't able to establish himself in a legal screening position and was moving during the play.
The second play happened at the 01:18 mark when Anthony Davis forced a mismatch against the Raptors. During a sequence, he picked on RJ Barrett on the post.
Given that he had the size advantage, Barrett had to play physically and deflect the entry pass from LeBron James. According to the report, the forward made contact with AD's wrist, causing him to lose control of the ball.
For Toronto, there were calls made by the officials that seemed off. At the 01:37 mark, Barrett fouled Max Cristie underneath the basket even though he only made minimal contact. At the 00:14 mark, officials didn't call a shooting call against Cristie on Barnes' dunk attempt.
There was clear contact on the dunk that could've been a potential and-1 opportunity.
Also read: "Knows he's getting traded next week": LA Lakers fans fuel trade speculation around D'Angelo Russell as he declines media session again
What did Rajakovic say about the officiating?
Rajakovic was visibly upset with the officiating in their game against the LA Lakers as he ranted:
"This is shame. Shame for the referees, shame for the league to allow this. 23 free throws for them, and we get 2 free throws in the 4th quarter?" The Serbian coach said.
The league hasn't announced the fine for the coach, but commenting on how a game is officiated usually ends up with one.