This was not what LeBron James wanted for his 39th birthday.
On a night the Lakers shooting was off — not so coincidentally against the best defense in the league — the Lakers found themselves down seven with :35 seconds left in Minnesota. Then LeBron got an old-fashioned 3-point play in the lane, followed by a technical foul soon after on the Timberwolves Jaden McDaniels (Austin Reaves made the free throw), and it was just a three-point Minnesota lead. That’s when this happened.
LeBron's shot was ruled as a 2-POINTER 😳
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 31, 2023
T-Wolves hand Bron a loss on his bday pic.twitter.com/OfkQ9njyKc
LeBron’s shot was ruled a two-pointer on the floor but they went to the replay to review... and it stayed a two. Look at the freeze frames — when his foot is on the ground is it touching the line?
LeBron posts to IG pic.twitter.com/IDDPg5VDU1
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) December 31, 2023
This is stil pic from last moment before toes leave floor. If this is a 2 it's by about half a micron, but tough to overrule when called a 2 on the court. pic.twitter.com/m3xmeZrT0i
— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) December 31, 2023
Crew chief Tony Brothers — who did not make the call, it was made at the replay center in Secaucus, New Jersey — was interviewed by a pool reporter after the game about the call, this was his response:
“The play was ruled a two-point field goal on the floor during live play. After video review, there wasn’t clear and conclusive evidence to overturn it from a two to a three, and that’s why it stood as a two-point field goal.”
LeBron didn’t see it that way. Here’s his postgame quote, via Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
“I mean, it’s obviously a 3,” James told reporters in front of his locker after the game. “My foot is behind the line. You can see the space in between the front of my foot and the 3-point line. You can clearly see the wood on the floor. There’s a space in between the front of my foot and the 3-point line. Stevie Wonder can see that, champ...
“Somebody over [in Seacaucus] eating a ham sandwich or (something) made the call,” James said.
The Lakers loss was more than one play. First off, Anthony Edwards was brilliant on his way to 31 points. LeBron was once again as great as any 39-year-old who has ever played the game and finished with 26 points on his birthday, and Anthony Davis finished with 33 points, 17 rebounds, eight assists, and four steals. The rest of the Lakers combined to shoot 30% on the night, and Lakers not named Taurean Prince shot 22.2% from 3 for the game.
That doesn’t include a potential 3 by LeBron at the end of the game.
