LeBron James Criticizes NBA Officiating After Lakers' Loss to Nuggets

LeBron James expressed frustration with the NBA's officiating and replay review system following the Los Angeles Lakers' 101-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on April 24, 2024. Despite holding a 20-point second-half lead, the Lakers fell short after a game-winning buzzer beater from Jamal Murray.

James took issue with a couple of key calls that went against the Lakers down the stretch, particularly a foul no-call on a layup attempt from D'Angelo Russell that was initially called as a foul but overturned by video review after a challenge from Nuggets head coach Michael Malone. "DLo clearly gets hit in the face on the drive," James said, adding that the replay system "makes no sense."

Russell also voiced his displeasure on social media, stating, "That's a foul we all saw it on national television." Lakers head coach Darvin Ham and other players expressed dismay at the officiating as well, but Ham acknowledged that while some calls went against them, they couldn't use that as an excuse for blowing such a large lead.

Why this matters: The Lakers' loss and James' criticism of the officiating highlight ongoing concerns about the consistency and effectiveness of the NBA's replay review system. The incident also underscores the high stakes and intense scrutiny surrounding officiating in the playoffs, where every call can have a significant impact on the outcome of a series.

The Lakers now find themselves trailing the Nuggets 2-0 as the series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Thursday. James, who scored 26 points and had 12 assists in the loss, missed a potential game-winning shot in the final seconds. Some critics argued that James and his teammates bear more responsibility for the collapse than the officials. The Lakers will need to regroup and find a way to win at home to avoid falling into a 3-0 series deficit.

Key Takeaways

• LeBron James criticized NBA officiating after Lakers' Game 2 loss to Nuggets.
• Lakers blew 20-point lead, lost on Jamal Murray's game-winning buzzer-beater.
• Replay review overturned foul call on D'Angelo Russell's layup attempt.
• Lakers trail Nuggets 2-0 in series, need to regroup for Game 3 at home.
• Officiating and replay review system's consistency and effectiveness questioned.