The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night, posting a 125-107 victory in Game 2. While many were impressed with the Thunder’s performance, it is worth noting that the win has been viewed as controversial in some aspects.
Game 2 featured some questionable officiating down the stretch, as several fans slammed the referees for blatantly favoring the Thunder. On that note, former NBA player Eddie Jones also chimed in on social media, criticizing OKC for flopping to get favorable calls.
While referencing a play in the first quarter of the game, Jones called out Thunder big man Chet Holmgren by tweeting:
“I am convinced the Thunder have an acting coach. Chet grabs his mouth, and his elbow was nowhere near it. Officials, you’ve got to stop being scared to call flopping!”
OKC got 7-FOOTERS flopping 😭 pic.twitter.com/zb0nbswR2o
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) May 8, 2026
In the video, Holmgren can be seen guarding Lakers center Deandre Ayton in the paint. While Ayton was getting in position to receive a pass, he raised his arm, coincidentally making contact with Holmgren’s face.
While this is unavoidable when defending in the post, Holmgren blatantly sold the call, flailing his body back and falling to the floor while grabbing his jaw.
Although Chet Holmgren’s reaction was quite egregious, the referees ruled it an offensive foul against Ayton. Considering that this has been the trend for most teams playing against the Thunder this season, Jones’ claim seems justified.
Eddie Jones Calls Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Dirty
Chet Holmgren wasn’t the only Thunder player Eddie Jones went after on Thursday night. While observing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s flagrant foul on Austin Reaves in the third quarter, the former NBA player had some harsh words for the Thunder superstar.
“This was a flagrant 2, and I am a SGA supporter. Flat-out dirty maneuver. He could have dislocated Reaves’ elbow. I know. I got my shoulder dislocated on this same kind of play.”
During the play in reference, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could be seen locking up Austin Reaves‘ arm at an awkward angle before pushing off it to get free. As Jones mentioned, since the play could have caused considerable damage to Reaves’ elbow, it was deemed a flagrant one foul, the first of Gilgeous-Alexander’s professional career.
As many players have noted, the Thunder are known for their physical style of play. Keeping that in mind, such incidents shouldn’t come as a surprise. However, when considering that the Thunder, especially Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, have gained a reputation for flopping or foul-baiting, the irony of the situation is hard to miss.
Although Jones refers to the play as “dirty,” it doesn’t necessarily mean that Gilgeous-Alexander is a dirty player. But considering his inclination to sell the call to gain a favorable whistle, there is an argument that can be made about the nature of his approach.
