- Gilbert Arenas says LeBron James will be behind Karl Malone if he goes to Dallas Mavericks
- Jaren Jackson Jr. calls LeBron James the ‘greatest player to play’ the game of basketball
- Report: Lakers have maintained that they have no interest in Kyrie Irving
- Report: Kyrie Irving has been recruiting LeBron James to Dallas Mavericks in hopes of forming Big 3 with Luka Doncic
- Magic Johnson explains how he led Lakers in same way Jimmy Butler currently leads Heat
- Rich Paul offers cryptic response when asked whether he expects LeBron James to return next season
- Report: Kentucky big man among promising draft prospects Lakers worked out on Friday
- Lakers insider speculates Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley won’t be back with Lakers
- Report: Lakers likely to keep No. 17 pick in 2023 NBA Draft
- Lakers insider labels Phil Handy as name to watch for Frank Vogel’s staff on Suns
NBA admits to error that would’ve taken away Nuggets game-winner against Lakers in Game 4
- Updated: May 25, 2023
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
As if being swept out of the Western Conference Finals wasn’t bad enough for the Los Angeles Lakers, the NBA has admitted to a missed call in the final minute of Game 4 that led to the game-winning shot by the Denver Nuggets.
However, the sidelines out of bounds call with 56.7 seconds remaining when the possession was originally awarded to LAL, then switched to DEN leading to Nikola Jokic's game-winning bucket, was deemed an incorrect call. The ball went off Murray's hand, according to the L2M.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 25, 2023
The Lakers lost 113-111 on a basket by Nikola Jokic after the Nuggets were awarded possession with 56.7 seconds remaining following a loose-ball scramble that went out of bounds.
The game was tied 111-111, and Nuggets guard Jamal Murray had the ball with 1:07 remaining. On the play, Murray, being guarded by Anthony Davis, drove from the right side into the lane before falling down while dribbling with his left hand. In the attempt to gain possession among six players, the ball was ruled to have gone out of bounds off Lakers guard Austin Reaves.
The NBA Last Two Minute Report deemed that the call was incorrect and the Lakers should have been given possession.
“Possession is awarded to Denver,” the report read. “However, the ball touches Murray’s (DEN) left hand last before going out of bounds. Reaves does not make contact with it. Possession should have been awarded to Los Angeles.”
Instead, Jokic drove off the inbounds pass from the left side and scored with a layup for the two-point lead with 51.7 seconds left.
The Lakers had multiple chances to retie the game, starting with LeBron James missing a fallaway from the baseline with 26.0 seconds left. After the Lakers chose not to foul the Nuggets, Murray missed a shot in the lane, and James got the rebound with 4.0 seconds left.
Following a timeout, James did not score on the final possession being guarded by Murray and Aaron Gordon, who was credited with the blocked shot. That play also was part of the NBA Last Two Minute Report and was deemed correct.
“Murray (DEN) uses both hands to make clean contact with the ball after James’ (LAL) gather,” the report read. “Gordon is aligning to move alongside James’ (LAL) path and marginal body contact occurs prior to Gordon cleanly blocking the driving shot attempt,” the report said.
The Lakers’ season ended with the loss, and they head into the offseason with uncertainty about James’ future.
Related Posts
About Mike Battaglino
