Victory was within grasp for the Lakers in Game 2 against the Thunder tonight. While the game was mostly lost in the third quarter (where the Lakers were outscored 36-22), there were signs of trouble from the very start for the Purple and Gold.
One of the biggest battles in the 125-107 loss came at the free-throw line, where the Lakers gave the Thunder 26 attempts. The frustration mounted throughout the game as the list of grievances grew longer and longer. Besides a heated moment during the game, the team met with the refs after it was all said and done. Finally, in the post-game press conference, Redick gave his honest reaction, seemingly issuing a plea for the refs to adjust their approach.
“I sarcastically said the other day that they [Thunder] were the most disruptive team without fouling,” said Redick. “I mean, they have a few guys that foul on every possession, and all good defenses do. SGA gets a touch foul on a drive, and there was a stretch on four straight possessions where our guys are getting absolutely clobbered trying to make an entry pass to Jaxson, and Jaylin Williams is grabbing his jersey with both arms. They are hard enough to play, and you have to be able to call it when they foul. And they do foul.”
There was a specific moment in the game where Redick lost his temper, and you could see him tugging at Hayes’ jersey as he shouted at the ref. That was just one of the many points of frustration for the Lakers, and it’s not the only one Redick cited. Speaking on LeBron James, JJ insisted that he gets the “worst whistle” of any star in the league, despite his status as a four-time NBA champion.
“He got clobbered on that one play with Jaylin Williams trying to come over baseline and block the shot with Dort,” said Redick. “LeBron has the worst whistle of any star player I’ve ever seen. I’ve been with him for two years now. There are small guys because they can be theatrical, they can typically draw more fouls, and the bigger players who are built like LeBron, it’s hard for them. They got clobbered, and he got clobbered again a bunch tonight. That’s not a new thing; it’s not specific to this crew or this series. He gets fouled, and it doesn’t happen. He gets hit on the head more than any guy I’ve ever seen.”
LeBron averaged 5.3 free-throw attempts this season, which is actually an increase from the 2024-25 campaign. Still, it may not account for how often he’s getting hit. As a 6’9″ freight train who frequently drives to the rim, it’s not as easy to notice all the fouls on LeBron like it is for elite guards Shai or someone like Stephen Curry, who are smaller and more easily shaken.
It’s something LeBron has learned to accept, and it’s never stopped him from commanding his will on the court. Even so, at 41, he can’t keep up like he used to, and he relies on the whistle now more than ever. While he had a good showing in tonight’s playoff game (23 points, two rebounds, six assists, three steals, zero blocks on 50.0% shooting), it’s hard to see how LeBron sustains this for the rest of the series if something doesn’t change. Clearly, JJ agrees.
Against a superior team like the Thunder, the Lakers need all the help they can get, including the fouls they so desperately need. The good news is that with the series shifting to Los Angeles for Game 3, it could set the stage for a powerful response from the Purple and Gold that may just save their season. For now, the task is just learning how to guard this Thunder team without fouling, all while trying to get their own calls on the other end.
