Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick did not mince phrases concerning the officiating after a 125-107 setback to the Oklahoma Thunder on Thursday in Sport 2 of the Western Convention semifinals.
Redick took problem with star LeBron James enduring what he feels to be constant bodily play from the Thunder. What’s worse within the eyes of Redick is that James — a four-time NBA MVP and 22-time All-Star — solely has 5 free-throw makes an attempt through the first two contests of the best-of-seven collection.
“LeBron has the worst whistle of any star participant I’ve ever seen,” Redick mentioned. “I imply, I have been with him two years now. The smaller guys, as a result of they are often theatric, they usually draw extra fouls, and the larger gamers which can be constructed like LeBron, it is onerous for them. He will get clobbered. He obtained clobbered once more tonight a bunch.
“And that is not like a brand new factor. That is not particular to this crew or this collection. He will get fouled so much and it would not (get known as). The man will get hit on the top greater than any participant I’ve seen on drives, and it hardly ever will get known as.”
Whereas James opted to play it cool along with his post-game feedback — “We’re down 2-0” was all he mentioned when requested concerning the officiating — Lakers guard Austin Reaves confronted crew chief John Goble at heart courtroom after the sport.
Reaves took problem with Goble for dropping his cool throughout a jump-ball scenario with 5:53 remaining within the fourth quarter.
“I felt like I used to be respectful to all of all of them night time. I imply, there’s 1,000,000 instances up to now I’ve mentioned approach worse stuff,” Reaves mentioned. “And once we have been doing the entire bounce ball when (the Thunder gamers) have been switching spots, I wished to get on the opposite aspect as a result of that they had a man on the opposite aspect, was simply making an attempt to maintain a bonus. And (Goble) rotated and simply yelled in my face. I simply thought it was disrespectful.
“On the finish of the day, we’re grown males. And I simply did not really feel like he wanted to yell in my face like that. I instructed him that. I wasn’t disrespectful. I instructed him if I did that to him first, I might have gotten a tech. I really feel like the one purpose I did not get a tech is as a result of he knew he was within the flawed. So, yeah, I simply felt disrespected.”
Reaves scored 31 factors and James added 23 on Thursday for the Lakers, who will host Sport 3 on Saturday.
–Area Degree Media
