Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker wasn’t happy with the officiating in their 116-114 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Sunday. Booker was notably called for a foul as LeBron James attempted a three-pointer in the closing stages with the Suns leading 114-113, which gave the Lakers three crucial free throws.
The Suns challenged the call, but it stood, much to Booker’s frustration. The 29-year-old was asked postgame what the officials had told him about the play, and he called out referee Jenna Schroeder in response.
“She said I hit his wrist, which is a lie,” Booker said, via Duane Rankin. “I rewatched it.”
Well, one angle on the Suns’ broadcast showed that Booker had made contact with James’ wrist. It wasn’t quite clear from some of the other angles, but you could see the contact from that one.
Crew chief Tyler Ford also made it clear in the Pool Report interview that they had seen the contact.
Question: “Why was Devin Booker called for the late foul on LeBron James’ three-point attempt?”
Ford: “Booker made illegal contact to the right wrist of James during the shot attempt and was called for a defensive foul.”
This wasn’t the only time Booker complained about the officiating in his media session.
“I gotta check the rulebook,” Booker stated, via Stephen PridGeon-Garner. “I’ve always been told hand is part of the ball… It’s over with now. I shouldn’t have been in the area to commit that foul. But the possession before, [LeBron James] did run through Dillon [Brooks] on his three too.”
Booker and the Suns do have every right to be upset that James wasn’t called for a foul for making contact with Dillon Brooks as he was making the three that gave them a 114-113 lead with 12.2 seconds remaining. Brooks should have gotten a free throw there and was fuming over the no-call.
In his frustration, Brooks confronted James and bumped into him, which resulted in his getting a technical foul. It was his second of the game, and that meant he was ejected. Suns head coach Jordan Ott stated postgame that he understood Brooks’ reaction, but added that they can’t be costing themselves late in games in this manner.
“There’s a lot of emotion going on,” Ott said, via Rankin. “… There’s never one play in the game that determines anything. There’s never one play to get the emotion to that level. I think Dillon’s going to think, and when you talk to him, he’s going to say about the contact on the three. So, it’s just one play after another. That’s these games.
“That’s why emotion is so high because there’s always some other action that precedes it,” Ott added. “And then, obviously, we got to keep our emotions in check and not get technicals in the fourth.”
Brooks and James had been going at each other for much of the game, and there appeared to be a good chance that one of them would get tossed. It ended up being the Suns man.
Getting back to Booker, he was making his return here after a three-game absence due to a groin strain. The four-time All-Star finished with 27 points (7-17 FG), six rebounds, seven assists, and one steal against the Lakers and nearly helped pull off a stunning comeback win.
This game looked over when the Lakers went up 99-79 midway through the fourth quarter, but the Suns roared back in style. That three-pointer from Brooks gave them the lead as mentioned earlier, but the joy was short-lived. James made two of his three free throws to put the Lakers up 115-114, and the visitors would hold on for the win.
The loss dropped the Suns to 14-12, and they’re in action next against the Golden State Warriors at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Thursday at 9 PM ET.
