A controversial refereeing decision marked the loss of the Los Angeles Lakers to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the last seconds, the Angelina team converted a basket that was initially considered a two-point basket by the referees, but, after review, the NBA confirmed that LeBron James stepped over the line, making the basket of just two points valid.
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The official report highlighted that during James’ successful shot, initially considered a two-point shot, there was no clear and conclusive visual evidence to reverse the on-court decision. The replay showed that as he lifted his heels for the jump, James’ right foot rolled forward, causing the toe of his shoe to touch the three-point line. For a shot to be counted as a three-pointer, the player cannot touch the line until after shooting the ball.
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This resulted in 106 points for the Lakers. On the next possession, Anthony Edwards was sent to the free throw line, where he missed one of two shots. With 1.4 seconds remaining, the Lakers had a chance to tie, but LeBron James was unable to shoot in time, confirming the unfavorable result.
Despite the lack of clarity in the video images regarding LeBron James’ step on the line, enlargements revealed that the referee was correct in the call. However, due to the minimal difference, probably less than a centimeter, in which the player’s toe touched the line at the last moment before the jump, the decision remained two points. LeBron James expressed displeasure with the situation, suggesting that the NBA should not include the error in the game report.