Referees Acknowledge ‘Gut-Wrenching’ Error in Lakers-Celtics Match; Schröder Demands Fines

The controversy surrounding the missed call in the final seconds of Saturday’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics remains intense. The NBA Referees’ official Twitter account acknowledged their error, describing the missed call as “gut-wrenching” and expressing their distress over the mistake. The referees admitted that the oversight would be a source of ongoing regret and sleepless nights.

The pivotal moment involved Lakers star LeBron James, who was fouled by Celtics player Jayson Tatum during a game-winning layup attempt. The no-call allowed the Celtics to eventually win in overtime. The situation was exacerbated when Lakers guard Patrick Beverley received a technical foul for presenting a photo of the foul—taken by a photographer—to the officials.

In the wake of the game, Lakers guard Dennis Schröder voiced his frustration on Instagram, suggesting that referees should face fines for their errors and criticizing the replay system for failing to correct the mistake.

Schröder emphasized the negative impact of such errors on the team’s season and their pursuit of goals. LeBron James, still reeling from the incident, posted a video on Instagram sarcastically praising Tatum’s “block” and tagging him with ironic emojis.

James, who is nearing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time NBA scoring record, will miss the Lakers’ upcoming game against the Brooklyn Nets due to ongoing “ankle soreness,” an injury that has troubled him throughout the season.