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Leaked: Lakers’ LeBron James Seen Heckling Ref During Nuggets Game Before Replay Center Rant

Published 04/23/2024, 10:59 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Wow! The Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets played out a thrilling game of basketball yesterday. It had everything a basketball fan could ask for drama, emotions running high, some questionable calls from the officials, and an epic 20-point comeback. However, what Jamal Murray had in store was something special. With less than 3 seconds on the board, Murray hit a ridiculous jumper over Anthony Davis, clinching the 101-99 win for the Nuggets and putting them up 2-0 in the series.

However, this thrilling game was marred by dubious officiating calls late in the game. LeBron James, in particular, was livid by some of the decisions made by the referees. One such instance happened with less than a minute remaining in the game. With the scores tied at 97, LeBron made a drive to the basket and scored an incredible layup. However, replays showed that Murray may have fouled James, which the refs didn’t catch. This no-call didn’t please LeBron, who was visibly frustrated, yelling “And One” directly in front of the refs.

Following the buzzer, leaked footage captured LeBron flustered and frustrated. He was seen confronting the referees, asking, “Why didn’t you call the And-One? It was right in front of you”. Adding to the frustration, he questioned the officiating, “Why Didn’t You Call That Sh*t?” Despite his inquiry, the referees didn’t provide LeBron with any answers. The ignored his questions and kept walking, until security personnel came around and took him to the side, which is when we see the footage ending.

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Furthermore, LeBron James even made his frustrations with the officiating very clear in the post-match press conference too. He said, “I don’t understand what’s going on in the replay center, to be honest,” James said. “D-Lo clearly gets hit in the face on the drive. What the f— do we have a replay center … it doesn’t make sense. It makes no sense. It bothers me.”

With the series balanced at a knife edge, it would be anyone’s guess as to who might come on top. Now, the Los Angeles Lakers have the advantage of playing the next two games at a packed Crypto.com Arena. But can they make their home advantage count?

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Could the Los Angeles Lakers draw level?

The Denver Nuggets have taken full advantage of playing at their home, taking a 2-0 series lead over the Los Angeles Lakers. However, winning their next two games would be very challenging because they would have to play in front of a passionate Lakers fanbase at the Crypto.com Arena. In fact, the Lakers have the best record at home in the Western Conference, winning 28 out of the 42 games they have played at home.

USA Today via Reuters

Despite their home advantage, the Lakers would be quite wary of the threat that Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets pose. After all, Denver swept the Lakers in last season’s Western Conference Finals. Moreover, the Los Angeles Lakers haven’t managed to snag a win against the Nuggets in their last 10 meetings, with their last win dating back to December 16, 2022.

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The next match between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets will be on 25th April. The fans of both teams can’t wait to see how the series will unfold. Would the unfancied Lakers pull off a surprising victory or will the Nuggets gain a foothold on the series? Let us know in the comments below!

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Written by:

Dushyant Singh

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Dushyant Singh is an NBA Writer at EssentiallySports. Ever since the Lakers’ Orlando Bubble victory, he has maintained a vigilant eye on the NBA with his research-heavy perspective, along with a specialization in covering predictive lineups. He keenly observes the evolving narratives that unfold each season.
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Edited by:

Saumya Khanduja