Lakers HC Darvin Ham changes his tune about officials

After Game 5, Ham decided to jump down the rabbit hole like he saw a white rabbit in a waistcoat chanting about being late. The cause? The Lakers only shot 15 free throws compared to the Warriors'...15 free throws. The Warriors were whistled for only one more foul than the Lakers.

In Game 1, Los Angeles shot 29 free throws to Golden State's six. In the Lakers' Game 2 loss, they shot only 17 free throws to the Warriors' 16. In Game 3, the foul shot disparity was 37-17 in the Lakers' favor. The difference was 37-11 before the Warriors reserves got six foul shots after both teams cleared their benches, with the officials calling six Laker fouls and none on the Warriors.

Game 4 saw a 20-12 difference at the free throw line, though Kerr complained after the game about the Warriors getting moving screen fouls in the fourth quarter. (There were only two.)

What can we conclude? Neither coach, team or fan base has any moral high ground when it comes to the rabbit hole of blaming the referees. Yes, the Warriors were whistled for nine fouls, two technicals and a defensive three-seconds violation in the second quarter of Game 2, but it's hard to argue that Draymond Green getting a technical foul is an aberration. Golden State made one shot during a five-and-a-half-minute stretch and turned the ball over nine times in the quarter — that's why they lost.

Similarly, the Lakers lost Game 5 because the smaller Warriors outrebounded them 48-38 and Andrew Wiggins matched LeBron James' 25 points.

The Lakers led the league with 26.6 free throw attempts per game. The Warriors were last with 20.2. An even game of free throw attempts is no more of an aberration than a difference of 23.

Perhaps everyone could stop complaining about the referees — at least until the NBA announces that Scott Foster will be working Game 6.