The Los Angeles Lakers started their regular season strongly, winning their opening three games after a challenging preseason marked by a 2-4 record. However, their winning stretch ended on Monday night when the Phoenix Suns dealt LeBron James and his team their first defeat of the season, narrowly prevailing 109-105.
Although the Lakers had leads at different points during the fourth quarter, they were unable to clinch the win. Lakers coach JJ Redick orchestrated a pivotal play aimed at getting Austin Reaves an open three-pointer, but the attempt missed its mark. After the Suns committed a foul, the Lakers were granted another opportunity, but LeBron James made a questionable choice in the closing seconds.
With a mere 6.1 seconds remaining in the game, James approached the free-throw line. He successfully made the first shot but opted to intentionally miss the second, aiming for an offensive rebound to create a new scoring chance. This choice was met with skepticism, as it eliminated the possibility of tying the game with a subsequent three-pointer.
Fans wasted no time showing their discontent over his decision, questioning why he didn’t simply make the second free throw, which would have allowed the Lakers a chance to foul and regain possession for a final attempt at scoring.
JJ Redick Addresses LeBron’s Controversial Miss Against The Suns
LeBron James’ choice to intentionally miss a free throw in the game’s closing moments elicited a blend of frustration and confusion among fans. In the post-game press conference, JJ Redick explained that the team was aware of James’ tactic.
“We communicated that, yeah. Everybody that was on the floor knew what was happening… It was an insane miss. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an intentional miss hit the bottom of the rim and go straight down,” said Redick.
Throughout the game, LeBron, the Nike ambassador, had a tough night, finishing with only 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting, alongside eight assists and five rebounds.
Image Source: LeBron James @ Instagram
