Arguably the most anticipated regular season game each year is the Christmas day matchup between the two best teams in the NBA, and the two biggest rivals in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Golden State Warriors. This year, the defending NBA champions were able to get the 99-92 win over the Cavaliers, in a less offensively productive game for both teams than expected. The game was reasonably exciting, to say the least, it was back and forth with many lead changes throughout, and although both teams were shooting terribly from the field and the three-point line, it still was an exciting game going down the stretch.
But to many people, the game was ruined in the final moments when LeBron James drove the ball at Warriors superstar Kevin Durant on two occasions in the clutch and was fouled with no call both times. LeBron would’ve had two free throws with the chance to bring it to a one-point game instead the no-call led to an intentional foul and free throws on the other end for Klay Thompson, who made it a five-point lead.
LeBron wasn’t happy with the call
After the controversial ending to the much anticipated Christmas day matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors, LeBron James talked to the media about the game. James seemed slightly annoyed, as usual, he would stress it is just another game, but the fact of the last minute crucial calls had him in a dismal state.
Lebron was asked if he felt he got fouled twice in the last minute, to which he said:
“I lost it on the left wing, he got me a little bit, but I lost that one, but the one (obviously the overturned one) he fouled me twice, but whatever. What are you going to do about it.”
LeBron agreed with the referee that on the first play, while there was contact, it was his fault he lost the ball.
But on the second play, on the drive, it was a clear-cut foul that the referee just missed.
LeBron goes off on refs
LeBron James is one of the strongest attackers of the basketball in NBA history, but his free throw numbers recently, the last few seasons, have been well below what they should be. For a guy who drives the ball as much as James does, his 5.9 free throw attempts per game are well under what it should be.
Guys like James Harden and DeMar DeRozan get to the line over ten times per game, and with LeBron having one of his best free throw shooting seasons, he wants to take advantage of the freebies as much as he can.
LeBron spoke on his frustration with the refs this season, saying:
“For me, the worst thing is when I actually go over and talk to the ref, and they say ‘it was nothing’… (LeBron): ‘you didn’t see that,’ (ref) ‘nah I didn’t think it was anything, it was no call, it was no foul.’ That’s the worst for me. If he says ‘yea I missed that one’ or maybe ‘I wasn’t in the right position’… but when you see the ref right there on the baseline, and you go up to him, and he says no call, multiple times in the crunch time, that’s the frustrating part.”
And LeBron extended the unfairness he feels the refs give him, saying “And for me its even more frustrating because I know how I am officiated at times.” LeBron knows his free throw attempts per game has dipped, and he is not too sure why.
Although he is having the best three-point shooting season of his career, he is also scoring at the highest clip since the 2009-10 season. So for Lebron, although he is 6-foot-8 and 260 pounds, the refs should give him at least some of the calls when he drives. Because if we are honest, every time LeBron attacks the rim he gets fouled.
