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Vanderbilt baseball breaks its single-season home run record with 101 homers!
Austin Reaves expressed frustration over a referee's disrespectful behavior during the Lakers' Game 2 loss to the Thunder. The officiating was a point of contention for the Lakers, who confronted referees after the game.
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Austin Reaves did not hide his frustration after the Los Angeles Lakersâ Game 2 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and one exchange with an official clearly stayed with him after the final buzzer.
The Lakers were already frustrated by the way the game had been officiated, with several players approaching the referees at midcourt after Oklahoma Cityâs 125-107 win.
While the broader conversation centered on the whistle, Reaves made it clear that his issue was also personal.
For him, the problem was not only about missed calls. It was about how one referee spoke to him during the game.
Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images
Speaking via Michael J. Duarte on X, Reaves explained why he was upset after the game.
âI felt like I was disrespectful to all of them all night. Thereâs a million times in the past Iâve said way worse stuff. When we were doing the whole tip-ball, they were switching spots,â Reaves said.
Austin Reaves described one referee's behavior as 'disrespectful' following the Lakers' loss.
Several Lakers players approached the referees at midcourt to express their frustration with the officiating after the game.
The Lakers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder with a final score of 125-107.
The main issue for the Lakers was the officiating, which they felt was unfair and led to their frustration during and after the game.
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He added, âI wanted to get on the other side because they got a guy on the other side⊠He just turned around and yelled at me, yelled at my face. I just thought it was disrespectful.â
The incident reportedly involved official John Goble during a fourth-quarter jump-ball sequence, when Reaves was trying to adjust his positioning before play resumed.
Reaves believed the response he received crossed a line, especially in a game where emotions were already high and the Lakers felt they were not getting the same treatment on several physical possessions.
Reaves then explained why the exchange bothered him beyond the moment itself.
âAt the end of the day, weâre grown men and I just didnât feel like he needed to yell at my face like that. I told him that, I wasnât disrespectful,â he continued.
âI told him if I did that to him first, I wouldâve gotten a tech. I felt like the only reason I didnât get a tech was âcause I knew he was in the wrong,â Reaves concluded.
That comment tied directly into the larger frustration surrounding the game. The Lakers were called for 26 fouls compared to 21 for the Thunder, while Oklahoma City finished 21-of-26 at the free-throw line and Los Angeles went 18-of-21.
Reaves had one of his best playoff scoring nights, finishing with 31 points on efficient shooting, but he also ended the game with five fouls and five turnovers as the physicality and whistle became a constant storyline.
JJ Redick also criticized the officiating after the loss, arguing that LeBron James continues to receive one of the toughest whistles of any star player despite taking contact on drives.
The Lakers now return home down 2-0 in the series, but the fallout from Game 2 is clearly not limited to the scoreboard.
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