Lil Wayne jumped in on the controversial refereeing during the Los Angeles Lakers’ conference semis Game 2 against the OKC Thunder on Thursday. JJ Redick and his team were furious in the first half after several missed calls. Redick even charged at crew chief Ben Taylor after Austin Reaves got mauled by OKC defenders on a drive and the refs didn’t call it.
Redick drew a technical foul for it. As several Lakers fans raised concerns about the integrity of the officiating crew, Wayne didn’t hesitate to share his thoughts, taking a strong stance against the Thunder’s favoritism. The rapper called OKC “unwatchable” and jokingly pointed out that the refs donned the same colors as the Thunder’s jersey.
“OKC games are unwatchable. The refs are even dressed in their colors tn! Brazy,” Wayne wrote on X.
LeBron James began the tirade against the refs after a missed call on him. James charged at an official before controlling his emotions. He limped around after seemingly taking a shot to his hip on that play, but the refs didn’t call it.
After the series of missed calls on James and Reaves, the refs awarded Chet Holmgren a whistle on a defensive possession. The Lakers challenged it, and it was overturned as replays showed that Holmgren flopped on that play.
James had another animated conversation with an official after he awarded Alex Caruso for a flop.
Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took five trips to the foul line and some of those calls were questionable, too, as the Lakers didn’t get the same benefit on the other end on similar contact.
JJ Redick’s Lakers take a one-point lead at half as heated dust-ups with refs ignite fire under LeBron James and Co.
JJ Redick’s technical foul seemed worth it in the first half, as it ignited the fire under LeBron James and Co. to match the OKC Thunder’s intensity. Once the Lakers felt the calls weren’t going their way, they ensured the Thunder players felt the same contact on the other end of the floor.
The Lakers took a one-point lead into halftime. It was a first for OKC as it had never trailed after the opening two quarters in five playoff games this year. Austin Reaves bounced back from his eight-point Game 1, scoring 13 in the first half of Game 2. LeBron James had 10 points and five assists, while Rui Hachimura added 11 points.
