After leading by as many as 19 points against the Golden State Warriors on Monday night, the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers fell apart in the second half and suffered another disappointing loss at Staples Center.
LeBron James wasn’t happy after the game, as he openly criticized the officiating. That was especially true when it came to the four-time NBA champion being called for traveling.
LeBron on frustration w/ traveling calls (question by @billoram): "It's so funny because the very next play Draymond gets into the lane & slides his foot & it's not called & the same official called me for the travel is right there on the play & told me he didn't travel…" pic.twitter.com/7kf45F6Rav
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) January 19, 2021
“I seen them on replays,” James said. “It’s a move I’ve been making pretty much my whole career. If that’s the call that’s going to be called travel, then I would like to see it across the whole board. Every game and consistent like that.
“It’s so funny because the very next play Draymond [Green] gets into the lane and slides his foot and it’s not called, and the same official called me for the travel is right there on the play and told me he didn’t travel.
‘That’s definitely something I’ve got to be more leery about, but I have not been called for travels like that in my career.”
Clearly, the Lakers star was frustrated with the way calls were being made, and Green’s travel not being called might have been what prompted James’ postgame outburst.
Despite the loss, the Lakers have to prepare for another tough game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, which will be the first game of a seven-game road trip.
