This Saturday, on his 39th birthday, LeBron James expressed anger and frustration over the controversial decision with which the referees prevented the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves from going to overtime.
"What the hell do we have replay for if even with replay they make mistakes?" LeBron told reporters from the locker room.
Lebron played 3 in an epic shot to take the game to overtime, but the referees said that he had touched the line and that it was only 2 points, a decision that not even the enlarged television images can clarify.
Those three points would have meant a tie at 107 with less than three seconds left before the buzzer, after the Lakers had raised a 107-100 lead with 36 seconds left. The final result was 108 to 106.
"It's obvious it's a three-pointer. My foot is behind the line. You can see the space between my foot and the line. You can see the wood on the floor. There is a space," he said. For the Lakers star, the referees' decision was "super frustrating."
LeBron showed that frustration during the game, when after reviewing the play the referees chose to maintain their initial decision while on their screens it seemed to show how, in fact, the player's foot did not touch the line.
In statements to the NBA pool, referee Tony Brothers acknowledged that it was not clear to them whether James touched the three-point line or not.
"The play was decided as a two-pointer on the court during the live game. After video review, there was no clear and conclusive evidence to reverse it from a two to a three, and that is why it was decided as a two-pointer," said.
