Watch: LeBron James practices free throws mid-game, Mark Jackson unhappy with officials allowing it
LeBron James air-balled a free throw attempt during the LA Lakers' 120-102 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. Shortly after the bizarre miss, James was seen practicing free throws during a review.
Former NBA player and coach Mark Jackson, who was on the broadcast for the game, called out the referees for allowing James to get his reps in, saying:
"Well he shouldn't be getting shots up, somebody should be overseeing this"
Here's a clip of the incident (via Talkin' NBA):
LeBron James shooting free throws during a review and Mark Jackson is not a fan ๐
https://t.co/zDJB4h9sab
Referees generally hold the ball during reviews. Players aren't allowed to attempt shots and get reps during these situations. However, James got lucky with it, as the officials didn't notice and object him from getting reps in after airballing an attempt.
Mark Jackson is one of the league's strictest figures regarding abiding by rules and regulations. The former Golden State Warriors coach not giving one of the greatest players a pass explains how much he respects the traditions of the game.
LeBron James returns as new-look LA Lakers record comprehensive win over Pelicans
LeBron James and the LA Lakers recorded one of their best wins of the season against the New Orleans Pelicans. The new-look Lakers, featuring their deadline day additions, D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Mo Bamba, dominated the Pelicans from the get-go.
The Lakers led by 20 points at one stage and never trailed. They got off to a 10-2 run with some solid plays. LA had 44 made shots on 32 assists. The pieces around LeBron and Anthony Davis are ideal for maximizing the superstar duo's skill set.
The Lakers have had some impressive wins, but they weren't as convincing. Most of those were close affairs. LeBron James and Anthony Davis had to play out of their skins to help LA register those wins, but that wasn't the case against the Pels.
Both played under 30 minutes apiece. The LA Lakers deployed an entirely new starting lineup, their 30th of the season, but certainly their best five. It featured D'Angelo Russell at the point with Malik Beasley as his backcourt partner, while LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Jarred Vanderbilt were the three frontcourt players.
LeBronโs first public comments on the Lakersโ trade deadline moves, including a breakdown of how each addition can help the team https://t.co/0G1MTW7LXr
The lineup had shooting and size, giving the Lakers flexibility on both ends of the floor. Coach Darvin Ham made excellent rotations off the bench, ensuring the balance was intact by avoiding playing positionless basketball.
The Lakers won despite shooting 27.0% from 3-point range and missing 14 of their 36 free throws. The roster has evidently gotten better at this stage, giving the Lakers faithful hope of the team returning to the postseason.