Lakers Receive Thunder’s Honest Side On Game 2 Officiating

The LA Lakers were at the referees’ ears in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against the OKC Thunder. The Lakers eventually lost the game, 125-107, but continued to air their frustrations at the referees shortly after the final buzzer and in the post-game press conference. 

While all that was happening, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault expressed his honest side about all the bickering about the officiating in Game 2. In his post-game press conference, he said that if there was any problem between the team and the referees in a game, he would keep it between only the parties involved. 

“I always keep my interactions with the officials between me and them,” he said after seeing the Lakers constantly talk about the officials after the game. “ I had plenty to say to them, but I’m going to keep it there. I thought our team did a really good job of staying present and just focusing on the next controllable and we just played it possession by possession.”

Many felt that the Thunder benefited from the officiating during Game 2. In the game, the Thunder had 26 free throws, five more than the Lakers with 21. 

The Thunder was also called for fewer fouls with 21 against the Lakers’ 26. 

On the other hand, the Thunder also received some questionable calls during the game. In the third quarter, MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was called for an offensive foul after Austin Reaves wrapped his arms around him and subsequently pulled it, selling the contact. 

Gilgeous-Alexander also struggled with early foul trouble, picking up four fouls early in the third quarter, two of which came via offensive fouls. 

The Lakers led by one at halftime but were outscored by the Thunder, which played without Gilgeous-Alexander for almost the entirety of the period, in the third quarter, 36-22. 

Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick Rips Referees in Game 2

GettyLos Angeles Lakers Head coach JJ Redick calls out the referees.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick was the first to air his frustrations in public about the officiating in Game 2. According to him, the Thunder had been constantly fouling his players throughout Game 2. 

“I sarcastically said the other day, they’re the most disruptive team without fouling,” Redick said, via ESPN. “I mean, they have a few guys that foul on every possession.”

Redick admitted that the Thunder is difficult to play against and the officials are not helping the Lakers’ cause. 

“They’re hard enough to play. They’re hard enough to play, you’ve got to be able to just call them if they foul, and they do foul,” he said. 

The Lakers called out the referees after the final buzzer, creating a scene at the center court, which saw guard Austin Reaves talk to the officials, seemingly airing his frustrations in the game. 

Reaves then revealed that he felt “disrespected” by the referees in Game 2. 

John Goble, who drew the ire of Reaves in the game, Ben Taylor, Mark Lindsay, and alternate Tre Maddox officiated the Lakers-Thunder Game 2. 

Lakers Must Pull Off the Improbable In Los Angeles

GettyThe Lakers must win Game 3 in Los Angeles to extend the series.

The Lakers must now put Game 2 behind them as they look to extend the series when it shifts in Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4. 

The Thunder has yet to lose a game this series. The Lakers have also yet to win against the Thunder this season. 

Game 3 of the series will be on Saturday, May 9. 

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