The Lakers continue their fight to make the automatic playoff spots as the season approaches its midpoint.
For a while, it seemed like the Purple and Gold were on the right trajectory as they began to win four of their last five games before a harsh loss to the Houston Rockets shot any momentum they were building back to the ground.
Fans were relentless in their criticism towards almost every member of the Laker roster. Some insisted that relying on a 40-year-old forward with plenty of mileage to force his way to a near triple-double was unacceptable.
However, the fans aren’t the only ones with things to say about how the game went. The coaching staff also had some choice words to say about how the officiating influenced the final score and stopped the team from mounting a comeback that would have extended their win streak to three.
JJ Redick thinks the foul call on Anthony Davis killed any chances of the Lakers completing a comeback vs. the Rockets
The Purple and Gold barely lost to the Houston Rockets, 115-119, at the Toyota Center. LA allowed the Rockets to take control for much of the game, even leading by as much as 22 by the middle of the second quarter.
JJ Redick made the halftime adjustments that eventually let the Lakers mount a possible comeback. Late in the game, it even seemed like the Purple and Gold would turn their fortunes around.
However, a play late in the game may have cost Redick’s squad a chance to win the game:
LeBron James with the clutch 3-pointer that gets waives off because of an offensive foul prior to it (with a replay). Rockets win. pic.twitter.com/WRwhqiae26
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) January 6, 2025
The foul, which was slapped on Anthony Davis, was a call many in the visitors’ locker room as unfair.
“I’m not sure why he was rewarded,” Redick said about the offensive foul that was given to Aaron Holiday.
Anthony Davis also agreed with his head coach’s comments, saying that Holiday was overly selling the call by flopping.
Fans can see why Davis feels taken advantage of by the call. He finished the game with 30 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, and five blocks. However, the Lakers cannot revert the final score and must focus on their upcoming games.
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