The referees officiating Saturday night’s Lakers-Celtics game missed a critically important call, and Patrick Beverley went the extra mile to let them know about it.
Jayson Tatum made contact with LeBron James in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter with the game tied at TD Garden, but the refs didn’t blow the whistle. The no-call signaled overtime between the longtime rivals, and before the extra frame started, Beverley borrowed a camera from a courtside photographer to show crew chief Eric Lewis that James was hacked as he drove to the basket.
Beverley’s actions didn’t sit well with Lewis, who issued the Lakers guard a technical foul before Boston and Los Angeles tipped off in OT.
“His actions were inappropriate in addressing resentment to a non-call,” Lewis said in a pool report, per ESPN.
The frustration for Beverley and company only increased from there, as Boston took advantage of their new lease on life and secured a 125-121 win. The victory sealed a season series sweep for the Celtics, who notched an OT win over the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in mid-December.
The Lakers will try to bounce back Monday night when they visit the Nets. The Celtics, meanwhile, are out of action until Wednesday when they host Brooklyn.
