Ball don’t lie. Make it, take it. I got next.
There are certain phrases that any lifelong basketball player will immediately understand and respect. These adages are usually applied on the pickup court, when referees aren’t part of the equation, but NBA players occasionally invoke them when the situation dictates it.
This brings us to LeBron James, who voiced his gripe with a crucial late call in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 116-113 Game 4 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday afternoon. As Wolves star Anthony Edwards drove to the basket with his team up by a point and just under 10 seconds remaining, James swiped down and knocked the ball off of Edwards out of bounds.
The officials initially ruled it Lakers ball, but Minnesota coach Chris Finch quickly challenged the play. After review, it was determined that James made “illegal contact to the wrist” of Edwards, and therefore the call was overturned and ruled a foul on James. From the aerial angle, you can clearly see that James does indeed strike the left wrist of Edwards.
Edwards was awarded two free throws, which he made to put the Wolves up by three points. Lakers guard Austin Reaves missed a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to give the Wolves the win and a 3-1 lead in the series.
After the game, James explained why he thought the call should not have been overturned.
“That play happens all the time, you know. Hand is part of the ball, that’s what they say,” James said after the game. “I felt like a hand was a part of that ball. I was able to get his hand on top of the ball, the ball stripped down, and out on him. Seen that play over and over before, but it is what it is.”
He’s not wrong in his logic. While “hand is part of the ball” is not officially a part of the NBA rulebook, referees often deem contact to the hand “incidental,” therefore resulting in a no-call.
The small but important distinction here, however — which official Josh Tiven made sure to point out in the explanation of the decision — is that James made contact to Edwards’ wrist … not his hand. And while the two body parts may be in close proximity, you won’t find a single streetballer in the world proclaiming, “Wrist is part of the ball!” after a foul call.
It was a controversial decision, as late-game reviews almost always are, but it was the right one. Now it’s up to James to put this loss behind him and focus on Wednesday’s Game 5, which the Lakers must win to avoid a first-round exit and an offseason filled with difficult questions.
