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Lakers Rip Referees After Second Straight Loss to Thunder

The Los Angeles Lakers were not pleased with the referees after a 125-107 loss to Oklahoma City Thunder. Coach J.J. Redick and teammate Austin Reaves were open about their thoughts.

Sports • May 8, 2026
Written by ZACH ROBERTS
Photography ALONZO ADAMS-IMAGN IMAGES


The Los Angeles Lakers are in a bad spot in their semifinal series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and they’re none too pleased with the refs. After the game, members of the team, including guard Austin Reaves, confronted the referees on the court. Los Angeles lost 125-107 to fall behind two games to none. In their pressers, both coach J.J. Redick and Reaves had plenty to say.

J.J. Redick expresses frustration with referees

The national TV camera panned to Lakers coach J.J. Redick plenty of times after his team was called for fouls. He didn’t bother to hide his feelings, and after the game, he didn’t mince words. He begged the referees to officiate the Thunder accurately.

“I sarcastically said the other day, they’re the most disruptive team without fouling,” Redick clarified. “I mean, they have a few guys that foul on every possession. … They’re hard enough to play. They’re hard enough to play, you’ve got to be able to just call them if they foul, and they do foul.”

Redick even got a technical foul for berating the referees in the first quarter. He also expressed disbelief at how LeBron James is refereed. “LeBron has the worst whistle of any star player I’ve ever seen,” Redick said. “The smaller guys, because they can be theatric, they typically draw more fouls, and the bigger players that are built like LeBron, it’s hard for them. He gets clobbered. He got clobbered again tonight a bunch.”

James averaged 5.3 free throws per game in the regular season. Through two games against the Thunder, he has five free throws total. Redick did add that the poor officiating for James isn’t necessarily exclusive to these referees or this particular series, but he’s unhappy nonetheless.

Lakers’ Austin Reaves adds to chorus of complaints

LeBron James didn’t have anything to say about the referees after. He simply pointed out the status of the series and said he didn’t know why J.J. Redick was so upset about the fouls called against James. His Lakers teammate Austin Reaves wasn’t so tight-lipped.

“I felt like I was respectful to all of them all night. I mean, there’s a million times in the past I’ve said way worse stuff,” the Lakers guard said. “And when we were doing the whole jump ball when were switching spots, I wanted to get on the other side because they had a guy on the other side, was just trying to keep an advantage. And turned around and just yelled in my face. I just thought it was disrespectful.”

Reaves said he told the referee that, explaining that if the roles were reversed, a technical foul would’ve been given. “I feel like the only reason I didn’t get a tech is because he knew he was in the wrong. So, yeah, I just felt disrespected,” Reaves said.

Rui Hachimura said his team can’t complain about the referees because they can’t control them. He alluded to the defending champions getting a friendly whistle, but stated that the Lakers have to play through that perceived disadvantage.

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Zach Roberts
By Zach Roberts
Zachary Roberts has written in the sports industry for over four years. He's covered the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, Seattle Seahawks, and wider coverage of the NFL, pro golf, NHL, MLB, and NBA. He has worked with ComicBook, Sportskeeda, The Sporting News, and the On SI Network. In his free time, Zachary loves playing video games, watching movies, or reading books.

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