LeBron James Calls Out Celtics-Pacers Ending, Defends ‘Going ‘ in Lakers Games

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVJanuary 9, 2024

Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics might be bitter rivals on the court, but that didn’t stop LeBron James from empathizing with Jaylen Brown after Boston’s 133-131 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.

With 3.2 seconds remaining in the game, the referees overturned a foul call on Pacers guard Buddy Hield and gave possession to the Pacers.

Celtics on NBC Sports Boston @NBCSCelticsAfter calling a foul on the floor, the Pacers challenge and the call is overturned. Pacers ball. pic.twitter.com/p5pbX0pp0U

James weighed in on the situation Tuesday and made he clear he thought Brown and Boston got a raw deal:

LeBron James @KingJamesSee what I’m saying! 🤦🏾‍♂️. JB clearly got hit in the back of the head. They reviewed the play, just to reverse it and say he didn’t. MAN WHAT!! Good ass game to have an ending like that. And yall see why I be going 🦍 💩 out there when it happens

Brown vented his frustration after the game and called for the NBA to look into the matter:

Celtics on NBC Sports Boston @NBCSCeltics”I think we got the right to be upset… that one should be investigated.”

Jaylen Brown gets candid about controversial end of Celtics game vs. Pacers, and the foul on Buddy Hield that was overturned pic.twitter.com/c6O3vmNUgI

This comes a little over a week after James had his own contentious moment with the refs.

The four-time MVP hit what he thought was a game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds of a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 30. The officials called it a two-pointer on the floor and upheld the decision after a review.

James was incandescent when referee Tony Brothers announced the ruling, and he pointed to a still image from the courtside monitor to continue pleading his case.

The NBA had its final say in the Last Two Minute Report and determined “there was not clear and conclusive visual evidence that the on-court ruling was incorrect.”

Brown and the Celtics will be eagerly anticipating the report for Monday’s game. There appeared to be visual proof Hield made contact with Brown’s head, and having the NBA conclude the same thing will at least provide some level of vindication.

In general, complaints about officiating are nothing new in the NBA, but there has been a growing sense in recent years the situation is getting worse in relative terms. In a player poll conducted by The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Josh Robbins last April, officiating was cited as the “biggest issue” within the league.

Plenty of players probably share James’ opinion in how the controversy over the non-foul on Brown is a microcosm of their wider exasperation with NBA refs.