Google News Anthony Davis slams refs after missed foul on LeBron James: We got cheated tonight
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Anthony Davis called out the Eric Lewis officiating crew after a clear foul on LeBron James wasn't called near the end of the regulation of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics game. With the Lakers and Celtics tied and James driving to the basket, James got smacked on the arm by Celtics' Jayson Tatum.
But instead of getting two free throws and a chance to seal the win for the Lakers from the free-throw line, nothing was called and the game went overtime. After the Celtics claimed a 125-121 overtime win over the Lakers, crew chief Lewis admitted that the crew missed calling a foul on James near the end of the regulation.
"[Tatum] fouled him. He fouled him. Clearly. Clearly. It's bulls---. It's unacceptable. And I guarantee nothing is going to happen to the refs. We got cheated tonight, honestly. It's a blatant foul. It's unacceptable, to be honest. The refs were bad.
They were bad tonight," Davis said after the game, per ESPN.
Davis, James sound off on the officiating crew
It was not the first time this season that the Lakers felt that the referees cost them victory. James, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in basketball history, was left in disbelief after the latest missed call on him.
"It's challenging. I don't get it. I'm attacking the paint, just as much as any of the guys in this league that's shooting double-digit free throws a night, and I don't get it. I don't understand it," James said. Lakers head coach Darvin Ham suggested it was stunning that one of the best basketball players in the world can't get a call on a clear foul.
"As much as you try not to put it on the officiating, it's becoming increasingly difficult. The best player on earth can't get a call. It's amazing," Ham said after the latest missed call on James. The Lakers have fallen to a 23-27 record and they are the 13th-best team on the Western Conference standings.