Sunday night’s matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics marked another iteration of the epic showdown between two of the most storied franchises in the NBA. Although the historic rivalry lends itself to a more heated environment, Austin Reaves appeared disillusioned with some aspects of the game.
The Celtics’ 111-89 victory naturally leaves a bad taste in the mouth for the Lakers. However, Austin Reaves appeared more frustrated with the officiating during the game, specifically the three technical fouls called against the team.
“I thought JB elbowed Marcus in the face. I didn’t say anything disrespectful, but he told me I got a tech because I clapped my hands on just an offensive foul,” Reaves recalled.
“He [the official] told me it’s an automatic tech when you clap toward a ref. I’ve heard way more disrespectful things said to officials, and no tech or anything. But yeah, there’s a level of frustration.”
Reaves reiterated that Jaylen Brown clearly elbowed Marcus Smart in the face. Although he believed that his response to the play didn’t deserve a technical foul, the decision wasn’t necessarily in his control.
Along with Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart and JJ Redick were also given technical fouls for similar reasons, with Redick receiving one for his hostile reaction to the initial ruling. While it is expected for tempers to flare during games, the circumstances took a greater toll on the Lakers.
The Lakers’ Loss Can’t Be Blamed On Officiating
As frustrating as the result may be, especially considering that the Lakers were held to below 90 points for the game, the loss itself cannot be blamed solely on the officiating.
During his post-game media availability, Austin Reaves acknowledged that the distribution of foul calls impacted the Lakers’ performance, adding that the team became too fixated on it.
“I think we can get that way sometimes,” he commented. “We play downhill, and we shoot a lot of free throws, but I think that’s kind of a play style thing. We don’t get up a lot of threes. We attack downhill, we seek contact, and that’s the reason we shoot a lot of free throws. But when you don’t get those calls, you can’t stay frustrated. You’ve got to move on to the next play, and I’m a culprit of that.”
Although Austin Reaves’ honest review of the game instills a sense of optimism, the result doesn’t favor the Lakers. Coming out of the All-Star break, the Purple and Gold find themselves tied for fifth place in the West, only two games ahead of the Phoenix Suns in seventh.
With a 34-22 record, Los Angeles may seem solid. But in a competitive Western Conference, their chances of securing a playoff berth are highly dependent on building consistent winning habits. In this regard, performances like these are unacceptable.
