The Los Angeles Lakers did plenty wrong in their 119–110 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but three controversial sequences stood out so clearly that they fueled a familiar and growing frustration around the league. This was not about missed shots or late rotations. It was about consistency, or the lack of it, and how marginal calls repeatedly tilted one way.
The first incident was probably the most infuriating one that came in the second quarter when LeBron James brought the ball up against Lu Dort. Dort was visibly tugging at LeBron’s jersey and holding him off-ball and on-ball. This was not subtle hand checking. It was extended grabbing, possession after possession, with no whistle.
Dort gets away with everything, tugging on LeBron’s jersey the entire time pic.twitter.com/CMevEXfTsY
— NBA Shane (@Shane00) February 10, 2026
This has become a season-long pattern. Dort plays elite defense, no question. But Oklahoma City defenders are allowed a level of physicality that opponents simply are not. Multiple coaches have said it publicly. Earlier this season, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch exploded at the referees over similar Thunder-friendly calls and was ejected.
The second play came when the score was tied 87–87 in the third quarter, Austin Reaves attacked the paint with Isaiah Joe on his hip and Chet Holmgren sliding over to help. On the upward shooting motion, Holmgren clearly made contact with Reaves’ shooting hand. There was also visible body contact from Joe as Reaves elevated.
The ball came loose, Alex Caruso initially scooped it up and tried to move it ahead, but Jake LaRavia jumped the passing lane and stole it back for the Lakers.
Austin Reaves was fouled on this play and the refs didn’t call it. You will hear pundits say that OKC has the best defence while they keep hacking opponents and always get away with it. Reaves received a technical foul for this when it was clear he was fouled. 3 point swing. pic.twitter.com/fhMzT7kzwM
— nelson ngesa (@nelson_ngesa) February 10, 2026
Despite the Lakers regaining possession, there was still no whistle on the play. Reaves, clearly frustrated after absorbing obvious contact on a potential go-ahead attempt, continued yelling toward the officials. Instead of a foul call, or even letting the moment pass, Reaves was assessed a technical foul.
What should have been free throws in a tie game turned into a Thunder free throw. A potential two-point Lakers advantage instantly flipped into a one-point Oklahoma City edge. In a game decided by small margins, that sequence alone shifted momentum.
The final incident came later in the 4th quarter, with the Thunder leading 100-99. Cason Wallace grabbed an offensive rebound and was immediately trapped near the baseline by both Jake LaRavia and Deandre Ayton. Under pressure, Wallace lost the ball for a moment, and it clearly went out of bounds.
How do you as a ref miss this when you’re standing right there? pic.twitter.com/PUyTpr5TuI
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) February 10, 2026
Once again, there was no whistle. Instead, Wallace recovered the ball, squeezed a pass to a cutting Jalen Williams, and Williams laid it in to extend the Thunder’s lead.
The most frustrating part was the positioning. The referee was literally a few feet away from where the out-of-bounds occurred. There was no excuse for a missed angle or blocked sightline. It was another possession extended by an obvious missed call, directly leading to points.
For anyone questioning the sequence, you can check out the exact play starting at the 7:10 mark of the video:
The pattern was consistent throughout the entire game. Marginal calls almost always went one way, and blatant misses followed the same trend. The Lakers actually won both of their coach’s challenges, which only added to the frustration.
One challenge overturned a marginal foul call, the kind officials are often forced to make in real time. The second was far more concerning. Late in the fourth quarter, the ball clearly tipped off Isaiah Hartenstein, yet it was initially awarded to Oklahoma City. JJ Redick was forced to burn his second challenge just to correct a call that should have been obvious without replay.
This is not about saying the Thunder are not elite; they are. Oklahoma City sits at 41–13, owns the league’s best defensive rating at 106.0, and plays with depth and discipline. But they are also officiated differently. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander consistently draws calls that similar contact on the other end does not earn.
No one is asking for a softer game, but fans want consistency. If Oklahoma City is allowed to be physical, the same standard has to apply to both ends. When it does not, people start questioning the integrity of outcomes. And that is a problem the league cannot afford.
