Lakers News

Report: Eric Lewis won’t work NBA Finals amid ongoing investigation into suspicious Twitter activity

Published by
Mike Battaglino

Referee Eric Lewis will not be working the NBA Finals as the league continues to review social media posts possibly involving the official.

Game 1 of the Finals between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets is Thursday night in Denver. Marc Davis, David Guthrie and Ed Malloy will be the referees for the game, with Tyler Ford as the alternate.

Lewis worked one game in last year’s final round and has worked six Finals games during his 19-season career as an NBA ref.

He gained notoriety this season when a foul was not called on Jayson Tatum against LeBron James in a game between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 28. James was not given the opportunity at possible game-winning free throws, and his emotional on-court reaction drew even more attention to the play.

The recent ongoing matter may involve a Twitter account that may or may not have been run by someone claiming to be Lewis’ brother.

The Heat advanced to the Finals with a Game 7 win against the Boston Celtics on Monday. Miami avoided becoming the first NBA team to lose a best-of-seven series after winning the first three games.

The Nuggets have not played since May 22 after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers to win the Western Conference Finals. Following Game 4, the NBA admitted that an improper call was made leading to the game-winning basket by Nikola Jokic. Possession should have been given to the Lakers following a loose-ball scramble but instead was awarded to the Nuggets, and Jokic scored off the inbounds play.

The Nuggets have never played in the NBA Finals but are considered the favorites in this series. Led by Jokic and Jamal Murray, they are 8-0 at Ball Arena during these playoffs.

The Heat are playing in their seventh NBA Finals and first since 2020. Miami won NBA championships in 2006, 2012 and 2013. This season, Jimmy Butler has led a balanced scoring attack and was named MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Their underdog run through this postseason has ESPN/ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy calling Erik Spoelstra the best head coach in Heat history.

Mike Battaglino

Mike is a veteran journalist who has covered the NBA for almost three decades. He remembers the birth of "Showtime" and has always admired the star power the Lakers have brought to the game.

Published by
Mike Battaglino

Recent Posts

Antoine Walker says LeBron wasn’t actually ‘unguardable’ in pickup game with MJ: ‘That wasn’t the case’

Earlier this year, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James recounted a story about playing in…

March 15, 2025

Dorian Finney-Smith says he noticed JJ Redick was ‘a little off’: ‘All the greats are a little bit off’

Before veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers and began playing…

March 14, 2025

D-Wade says LeBron ‘put some extra heat’ on Bronny by saying he was better than some NBA players

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and ESPN star Stephen A. Smith have been in…

March 14, 2025

Skip Bayless destroys Luka’s impact without LeBron: ‘Most of his points felt like empty calories’

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic had some big numbers on Thursday against the Milwaukee…

March 14, 2025

Shaq says LeBron is trying to set records that will never be broken: ‘I know what he’s doing’

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James set another NBA record recently. In the team's March 4 blowout…

March 13, 2025

Sean Hannity claims he would’ve had Stephen A.’s back during LeBron confrontation: ‘Just saying’

Not long after former Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade expressed to TMZ Sports that he…

March 13, 2025