LeBron James Blasts Refs Over Questionable Ending to Celtics-Pacers Game

LeBron James was not pleased with how Monday night’s game between the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers played out. 

Boston had a shot to win the game when guard Jaylen Brown pulled up for a jump shot with three seconds left. As Brown shot the ball, Pacers guard Buddy Hield appeared to make contact with Brown’s head, which officials ruled a foul. Indiana challenged the call—which was overturned—and ultimately won the game, 133–131, after yet another questionable call from the officials occurred. 

Meantime, the Los Angeles Lakers star, who was critical of referees after his potential game-tying three-pointer in a December game against the Minnesota Timberwolves was ruled a two, was paying close attention. 

James took to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday to vent about the officials. 

See what I'm saying! ????????‍♂️. JB clearly got hit in the back of the head. They reviewed the play, just to reverse it and say he didn't. MAN WHAT!! Good ass game to have an ending like that. And yall see why I be going ???? ???? out there when it happens

— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 9, 2024

James seems to have just as much of a problem with the replay officials’ failure to get the call right as he does with the on-court referees’ missing the call in real time. 

It’s understandable, given that the ending of Indiana’s win over Boston played out in much the same way as the Lakers’ situation did in Minnesota on Dec. 30. 

Officials are human and will miss calls, but that’s why replay review exists. If the replay review still can’t get the call right, then what?