Getty Image
When it’s not your season, it’s not your season.
Such appears to be the case for the Los Angeles Lakers for the third season running.
The Lakers won their record-tying 17th Larry O’Brien Trophy in the bubble-affected playoffs of 2020. Since that point, however, they’ve not come close to returning. Injuries and aging players have seen Los Angeles take a rapid decline.
LA was unceremoniously bounced from the first round of the playoffs in 2021. The Lakers missed the playoffs altogether a year ago, and now it appears they’re headed for the same path in 2023.
Los Angeles currently sits just two spots from the bottom of the Western Conference with a 19-23 record. It doesn’t appear re-enforcements are coming anytime soon and 38-year-old superstar LeBron James sounds fed up with the organization’s front office.
Though ESPN writer Zach Lowe says he still believes James would like to end his career with the franchise.
Most recently, LA took a 119-115 double-overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks in a game where both teams came away frustrated with the referees. As it turns out, they had a point.
NBA Refs Admit To Astonishing Amount Of Missed Calls In Mavs-Lakers Game
After every NBA game, officials file a “last two minute” report reviewing calls made at the end of games. It’s not uncommon for them to admit to missing a call or two in those situations. After all, it’s a fast-moving game and things happen.
But it turns out these missed more than a few calls at the end of the Mavericks win.
According to the NBA's Last Two Minute Report, there were seven incorrect calls in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and the two overtimes during Thursday's Mavs-Lakers matchup. https://t.co/MBNkTR1QbC
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 14, 2023
In the last-two-minute report for the contest, refs admitted to making a whopping seven incorrect calls at the end of regulation and in overtime.
As it turns out, the calls were actually more in favor of Los Angeles. But a pair of non calls at the end of the first overtime would have given the Lakers a chance to win the game at the free throw line.
Fans were not impressed with the performance.
https://twitter.com/bigbucketsbaby/status/1614290166855925761?s=20&t=O1qoUdC0iga5h4xtFpT53w
Embarrassing https://t.co/1tgQtelpip
— NbaNewNews (@nbanewnews21) January 14, 2023
These reports come out every single day and it’s just like oops lol oh well my bad. Vegas got y’all by the nuts man it’s sad @NBA https://t.co/txwoZrwYuJ
— Danny (@dan_goes_ham) January 14, 2023
Seven? Lmao that’s impressively bad https://t.co/ApkDLxHIqA
— ✨BULLS✨ (@farheen_a_khan) January 14, 2023
Refereeing pro sports is much more difficult than anyone gives them credit for. But you’d hope to see a little more accuracy in important situations.