Fine margins facilitated a 101-99 win for the Denver Nuggets against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of their engrossing first-round series. One such instance circled a controversial call disfavoring D’Angelo Russell during a pivotal juncture of the clash following the endeavors of Michael Porter Jr. Amidst the drama surrounding the decision, the latter recently owned up to his mistake, fueling debates all around.
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Toward the end of the third quarter of Game 2, Rusell drove to the basket to score a layup while being contested by MPJ. After the Lakers star released his shot, Porter Jr’s right hand seemingly unintentionally hit his face because of the follow-through. Initially, D’Lo received a foul call in his favor, allowing him to extend his team’s then 10-point lead. However, the Nuggets soon challenged the decision, before eventually overturning it by winning the challenge.
This reversal of decision from the game officials raised eyebrows all around. It also left a bad taste in Russell’s mouth as he refused to let go of it even after the conclusion of the game. The 28-year-old took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his frustration, stating, “That’s a foul we all saw it on national television”.
Interestingly, Porter Jr added a new layer to the controversy with his recent comments on FULL SEND PODCAST. The 25-year-old took accountability for his actions, yet provided a ‘politically correct answer’ while sharing his views on the decision. “I definitely hit D’Lo like a little bit but the ref said it was like marginal contact…It may have been a foul but it was barely any contact,” he mentioned.
This call undoubtedly demoralized the Lakers to a certain extent playing a key part in changing the momentum of the game. Despite trailing by 10 points by the end of the third quarter, the Nuggets outscored their opposition 32-20 in the final 12 minutes. It helped them march on to the victory, taking a 2-0 lead in this dramatic playoff series.
Despite the accountability from Michael Porter Jr, the moment has passed for the Los Angeles Lakers
Not only Russell but also LeBron James pointed out this precise play as the defining phase of the game. In the post-game conference, the 20x All-Star called out the match officials, stating, “I don’t understand what’s going in the replay center to be honest…D’Lo clearly gets hit on the face on a drive…It doesn’t make sense to me”.
Alongside highlighting the questionable decision-making of the officials, James’ comments displayed the frustration around the Lakers camp. With the series’ outcomes being unidirectional, the hopes of the LA side continue to diminish over time. From this point onwards, they require more than just skills and teamwork to progress to the next round. However, nothing seems to be working for them at the moment, not even the charm of their roster.
With Denver having taken a seemingly unassailable 3-0 lead in their first-round playoff series, it looks like another sweep is on the cards for the Lakers. Will LeBron James and the LA side become the first side to overcome a 3-0 deficit in 151 tries or will the Nuggets hand LeBron James his 2nd ever first-round exit?
