The No-Foul Call that Cost LeBron a Chance at Game-Winning Layup vs. the Celtics Was So Bad, The Refs Are Actually Apologizing

Screenshot via ESPN on YouTube.

The Los Angeles Lakers were furious after losing in overtime to the Boston Celtics Saturday night — the ESPN headline described them as “seething” — because they were denied a chance to win the game at the end of regulation when the referees absolutely missed a shooting foul on LeBron James as he was attempting a layup that would have put the Lakers ahead.

The game was tied 105-105 with four seconds left, when James drove to the hoop to attempt a layup. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum smacked down hard on James’ arm, he missed the shot, and time ran out.

James frantically gestured to the referees, slapped his arm where Tatum had made contact, jumped up and down, yelled in outrage, and fell to his knees as he slammed his hands down on the paint and put his head down.

The sportscasters were shocked by what they called a “clear foul,” remarking that this was “exactly why replay was instituted” and frustrated that this call could not be reviewed.

At the end of the overtime period, the Celtics came out ahead, 125-121.

“This is one of the best games we’ve played all year, and for this to fall on somebody else’s judgment or non-judgment is ridiculous,” James said in a post-game interview as reported by Washington Post NBA Writer Ben Golliver, saying his frustration “has been building” over “some of the games that we’ve lost this year with late-game missed calls,” which he didn’t see happening to other teams.

James took to Twitter to voice his frustration, writing, “That one hurt BIG TIME!!!” and adding that he did not understand.

Lakers center Anthony Davis was “even more blunt,” wrote Golliver, calling Tatum’s slap on James’ arm a “blatant foul” and denouncing the officiating as “bullsh*t.”

“It’s unacceptable, and I guarantee nothing is going to happen to the refs,” said Davis. “We got cheated tonight, honestly.”

ESPN reported that at least one of the game’s refs, crew chief Eric Lewis, admitted the mistake after the game to a pool reporter.

“There was contact,” said Lewis. “At the time, during the game, we did not see a foul. The crew missed the play.”

James and the Lakers have complained about what they view as uneven and unfair officiating this season, specifically that James has not gotten calls when he’s been fouled, and the overly strict NBA rules on challenges. A technical foul at the beginning of overtime just added insult to injury. As reported by ESPN:

The disillusioned Lakers rattled off several adjustments that could be made to improve the officiating. Ham suggested having four officials, or changing the challenge rule where if a coach uses it and it is successful, the coach can use it again. Ham called for a challenge with 3:41 remaining in the fourth quarter when Davis was called for a foul on Tatum, with the Lakers leading 96-95. The challenge was successful and the call was overturned, however Ham didn’t have a challenge remaining to implement on the James layup attempt at the buzzer…

Lewis also called two technical fouls against the Lakers, one against Dennis Schroder in the third quarter for collapsing to the floor in response to being called for a foul against Tatum and Beverley at the start of OT for borrowing a camera from one of the courtside photographers to show digital evidence of Tatum making contact with James at the end of the fourth.

The National Basketball Referees Association posted a mea culpa on Twitter Sunday, admitting the error.

“Like everyone else, referees make mistakes,” they tweeted. “We made one at the end of last night’s game and that is gut-wrenching for us. This play will weigh heavily and cause sleepless nights as we strive to be the best referees we can be.”

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