Basketball

“The Game Was Decided By the Refs”: 6ft 9″ LeBron James Still Sour Over Celtics Loss Despite Winning Against Knicks in OT

Adit Pujari
|PublishedFeb 01, 2023

"The Game Was Decided By the Refs": 6ft 9" LeBron James Still Sour Over Celtics Loss Despite Winning Against Knicks in OT

Jan 31, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) controls the ball against New York Knicks forward Obi Toppin (1) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James led the Lakers to an incredible win over the Knicks tonight. The 6ft 9″ superstar registered a triple-double to seal the deal as his team turned the game around in OT. However, it seems James is still not over the poor refereeing in Boston a few nights ago.

The Lakers lost the game after LeBron was clearly fouled by Jayson Tatum and yet did not receive a foul call. With his emphatic reaction to the loss still fresh, James continued his attack on the officiating that took place in Boston.

Also read: “I Didn’t See It Michael Jordan, but I Believe You!”: When 14x All-Star Convinced Referees To Call a Foul Solely on His Word

LeBron James still unhappy with the loss in Boston

The Lakers registered a crucial win in New York tonight. LeBron James and Co. proved that they are capable of taking over important games. With their win, they might have just kept themselves alive for the play-in tournament. However, even as the team celebrated the win, LeBron showed that he still wasn’t over what happened in Boston.

The Lakers lost the game against the Celtics in OT. After the game was over, the Lakers team and fans were heartbroken. The loss weighed even heavier because of a horrible call in the final seconds of the game. But perhaps, no one was as impacted as James who made his disappointment known on several occasions.

He did the same again today in the post-conference after beating the Knicks in OT. Bron, in his statement, claimed that their win in new York was because of the players. However, he blamed the loss in Boston on the referees.

LeBron: “The game was decided by the players. In Boston, the game was decided by the refs.”

LeBron on the difference between the Lakers win over the Knicks in OT vs. the Celtics loss: “The game was decided by the players. In Boston, the game was decided by the refs.” https://t.co/dk8jEIWAal

— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) February 1, 2023

James has lashed out at referees and Celtics players since the loss

This wasn’t a standalone statement by the Lakers superstar. He even took to Instagram and called out Jayson Tatum for the illegal block. Though Tatum smartly shrugged off James by claiming the night was a blur, it seems LeBron is still not comfortable with what took place.

Today’s win should definitely help bolster Lakers’ confidence going forward. Hopefully, LeBron James will also put the past behind and focus on winning the upcoming games.

Also read: “Pretty compelling evidence that LeBron James is the GOAT”: Boston Reporter On Lakers Star Breaking Into Top-5 Assists Maker While Getting Close to Scoring Record

About the author

Adit Pujari

Adit Pujari is an NBA Journalist and Strategist at The SportsRush. He formerly worked as a debate and writing trainer. An avid fan of Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, Adit began following the league in 2007. With the Lakers and Boston Celtics rivalry ripe, he found himself hooked to the sport immediately. After 15 years of religiously following the league, he decided to use his knowledge base as a sports writer in 2021. Since then, he has worked as an NBA writer, led a team of MLB writers, and has now joined The SportsRush. In his spare time, Adit loves playing pickup games and exploring hidden Himalayan trails.