Watch: ‘Baffled’ LeBron James furious after Chris Paul wasn’t called for a foul despite intentionally trying to take the Lakers star down

With 4:55 left in regulation, the Los Angeles Lakers grabbed a rebound and sprung forward for a fast break. LeBron James was charging to the rim as he received the ball. Just as he was about to elevate for a layup, Chris Paul tried to grab James’ jersey from behind.

His attempts to slow down his friend were futile as the 6′ 9″ forward completed the layup. James turned around and furiously argued with the referee as to why a blatant foul was not called.

Had the referees awarded the call, it would have helped the Lakers trim the deficit further down. Trailing at home to fellow players in the contending Golden State Warriors was not the best situation LeBron James and the Lakers wanted to be in.

Playing without Anthony Davis also compounded the uphill task for the men in purple and gold. Their defense rebounds as well as playmaking suffered without their superstar center manning the middle. The Lakers now have two road games left until the regular season closes.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers with a final push for the 8th spot

The 8th spot brings a few benefits compared to if the Los Angeles Lakers stand in the 9th. Firstly, if they win the game, it gives them direct access to the first round, where they will be taking on the second seed. Secondly, they will get a few more days of rest as opposed to if they stay in the 9th. The Lakers do have two winnable road games left.

First up, the Memphis Grizzlies should not be a major problem. And by the time they move on to their last game, the New Orleans Pelicans should have clinched the 6th spot. This means they could be resting some of their starters in preparation for the playoffs. The perfect setup for the Lakers to exploit.

However, they need a fully healthy Davis and the rest of the squad to dominate those games. After all, last year’s play in battles left them gasping for breath in the Western Conference Finals.