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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James erupted at NBA officials on Saturday night as the team fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 108-106.
With under 5 seconds to play, James made what he thought was a game-tying 3-pointer. But the NBA’s replay center had a different view. James’ shot was called a 2-pointer. As the PA announcer at the Target Center told the crowd of the call, James and Anthony Davis ran to the monitor on the scorer’s table and pointed to the screen to try to plead his case.
James was fiery in his postgame press conference.
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LeBron James, center, and Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers react as it's announced that James' basket is a 2-pointer during the Minnesota Timberwolves game at Target Center on Dec. 30, 2023, in Minneapolis. (David Berding/Getty Images)
"It’s obviously a 3," James said. "My foot is behind the line. I mean, you can see the space between the front of my foot and the 3-point line. You can clearly see a white, the wood on the floor, there’s a space in between the front of my foot and the 3-point line. So, you know, Stevie Wonder can see that, champ."
James scored 26 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. He was also celebrating his 39th birthday.
But his ire was drawn at replay officials who are headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey.
"They said it was out of their hands," James said. "The Secaucus, whatever, over there in the replay center or whatever, somebody over there eating a ham sandwich or somebody made the call."
Official Tony Brothers said in the pool report the review wasn’t conclusive enough to overturn the call on the floor.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts to the call that his basket was only worth two points against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on Dec. 30, 2023, in Minneapolis. (Bruce Kluckhohn-USA Today Sports)
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"The play was ruled a 2-point field goal on the floor during live play," Brothers said. "After video review, there wasn’t clear and conclusive evidence to overturn it from a 2 to a 3, and that’s why it stood as a 2-point field goal."
James disagreed and wondered what the point of replay was.
"It’s super frustrating in the sense of what the hell we got a replay for?" he said. "What do we have replay for if even the replay gets it wrong? It’s like, who’s the part of the replay center? Like, do we got robots in there that's making the Teslas? What’s going on? If you don’t see that, that is clear, that is clear."
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James drives against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
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Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 31 points on 10-of-23 from the floor. Naz Reid added 21 points and five rebounds off the bench.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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