The Los Angeles Lakers are trailing 2-0 in the series after they suffered a 125-107 defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 on Thursday night.
Refereeing decisions quickly became one of the biggest talking points during and after the contest.
JJ Redick, Austin Reaves and LeBron James all made their frustration with the officiating clear following the loss.
And while complaints from Los Angeles sparked debate across the NBA, Dirk Nowitzki used the situation to make a playful joke about the franchise.
Dirk Nowitzki jokes about Lakers and free throw complaints
Speaking on Prime Video’s NBA Nightcap show, Nowitzki suggested the Lakers were uncomfortable because they are usually the side benefiting from free throw advantages during games.
“The Lakers are the team that usually always wins the free throw battle,” Nowitzki said. “This is a little new to them that they’re getting clobbered a lot.”
He then added, shifting the tone: “You need to work the ref, you need to position yourself for the next game. That’s just part of the playoffs.”
The Lakers attempted 21 free throws during Game 2 and converted 18 of them. Oklahoma City reached the line 26 times and scored 21 points from those opportunities during the victory.
JJ Redick questioned several Thunder foul calls
Redick continued discussing the officiating after the game while speaking during his post-match press conference. The Lakers head coach stated that Oklahoma City players regularly crossed the line defensively without punishment.
He claimed the Thunder “have a few guys that foul on every possession” while questioning several moments where Los Angeles failed to receive calls in their favour.
Redick also explained that facing Oklahoma City is already difficult because of their quality and intensity. Therefore, he suggested officiating should focus on making correct decisions rather than making the challenge even tougher.
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