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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James thought he made a game-tying three-pointer late Saturday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Instead, James and his size 15 shoes were just a centimeter off.
James initially quieted the capacity crowd at Target Center in Minneapolis when he connected on a long-range shot with 3.1 seconds left. It appeared as though everyone in the building, save for the referees, thought James had just made a three to tie the game at 107.
However, James’ shot was called a two-pointer. Referees ruled that James’ foot was just barely on the line. You be the judge.
The screenshot of LeBron’s foot outside the line serves no purpose because it doesn’t show when the ball left his hands. Here’s a more accurate replay for you to decide. It’s close for sure. pic.twitter.com/tX38xTvQNi
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) December 31, 2023
James clearly disagreed with the call. The Lakers star was seen vehemently arguing with the referees about the ever-so-close replay.
It looked like LeBron’s toe was touching the line as he jumped to take the 3. #Lakers had other chances. #Timberwolves made more plays to win. #NBA pic.twitter.com/KcGRQJWeEE
— Faisal Hassan (@Faazzla) December 31, 2023
The scene drew parallels to another controversial referee moment that had James fuming from last season.
Given that the referees ruled the shot a two-pointer on the floor, they would have needed clear and conclusive evidence to overturn the call.
The Lakers got "clear and conclusived" in Minnesota pic.twitter.com/g6nCGmcymS
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) December 31, 2023
James did get one final crack to force overtime after Anthony Edwards split a pair of free throws. But the Lakers frontman wasn’t even able to get a shot off before time expired.
WOLVES WIN WOLVES WIN
#RaisedByWolves 108#LakeShow 106 pic.twitter.com/EGUmHD7SGS
— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) December 31, 2023
James finished with 26 points and six assists Saturday in the Lakers’ 108-106 loss to the Timberwolves.
More must-reads:
- Timberwolves foil Lakers' last-minute comeback bid
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Deion Sanders says he's not 'all the way recovered' amid health issue
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Hall of Famer believes this AFC QB will win Super Bowl first
Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon just made headlines during a recent appearance on "Up Adams," where he gave his take on one of the NFL’s most debated questions. When asked which star quarterback will win a Super Bowl first, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen or Joe Burrow, Moon without any hesitation went with Jackson. “We have Josh Allen, MVP, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, they wrecked the league last year… Which one of those three do you think has the best shot to get one this year?” Kay Adams asked. Moon responded, “I think Lamar.” Moon’s reasoning for this take was not due to stats or accolades, because both have great numbers and awards, rather Moon was focused on the surrounding cast around Jackson. While he was complimentary of Allen and the team around him, he emphasized that the Ravens had a strong secondary, incredible running back and solid wideouts that could allow them to be a serious threat to win it all. It is easy to see why Moon made his opinion clear and without hesitation. Jackson is one of the top quarterbacks in the league, with four Pro Bowl nods, three All-Pro selections and two MVP awards. He is the best dual-threat quarterback in the world, and now with an incredible roster around him, Jackson has become much scarier. However, pressure is mounting on the superstar QB, and Moon did make the case for Allen to also potentially win first. “Josh Allen, they’ll be right there too. I think it depends on who plays who in the playoffs … You have to go through playing both Kansas City and Baltimore if you’re Buffalo, and same thing if you’re the Ravens, you gotta play both of those to get to the Super Bowl … But if you only have to play one of them, that would be great.” Allen is also regarded as one of the league’s best QBs too, and Moon's argument has a lot of merit to it. Both Buffalo and Baltimore are flooded with talented pieces that are hungry to make that Super Bowl run. It could come down to matchups come playoff time. If one squad has an easier route to the AFC Championship game, then it might be the one who ultimately comes out on top. As for Burrow, Moon did not mention him in the conversation, but clearly it was not meant to be a slight on him as a player. Rather, for obvious reasons, it seems that Moon might have Baltimore and Buffalo as overall rosters in a higher tier from Cincinnati. Ultimately however, time will tell who breaks first. But if Moon is correct, Jackson might finally be able to silence his critics, and make his mark on NFL history.
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