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Lakers' LeBron James: Missed Call on Troy Brown Jr. 3 vs. Mavs Was a 'F--king Foul'
January 13, 2023
LeBron James thought the Los Angeles Lakers got a raw deal in their 119-115 double-overtime defeat to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night.
In particular, James was frustrated by the absence of a whistle on Troy Brown Jr.'s attempted game-winner at the end of regulation.
Although Brown remained diplomatic and said that it's "not my job to ref," James was more candid.
"No, it's a f--king foul," he said, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "It's a foul. No matter what [Brown] says, it's a f--king foul. That s--t is blatant, and they should have called it."
Referee Josh Tiven addressed the decision after the game and said in his pool report Tim Hardaway Jr. "does make some high five contact" but that it was a legal play because he disrupted Brown's shot.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham echoed LeBron's assessment, arguing the play "just looked clear as day like it was a foul."
The NBA's Last Two Minute report could at least provide the Lakers with a sense of vindication, though it certainly won't make up for how costly the mistake was for Ham's squad.
