The @nba has suspended the referees effective immediately.
The Lakers had only 8 FTA today, their fewest in a game since 2021.
Former NBA champion pokes fun at Los Angeles Lakers after major free throw disparity
NBATuesday, 27 February 2024 at 08:30
The Los Angeles Lakers had a lot of problems on Sunday night during their loss to the Phoenix Suns. Not only did the team's defense once again create huge holes for the Suns to move through but the Lakers also didn't get to the free throw line often.
In fact, they shot a season-low eight free throws during the entire game, compared to 19 for Phoenix.
Some spectators found poetic justice in this fact because the Lakers have long battled the stereotype that they get to the free throw line much more often than other teams.
On Twitter, former NBA champion Andrew Bogut made fun of the Lakers and the league for the lack of free throws.
"The @nba has suspended the referees effective immediately," Bogut said.
This joke plays into the idea that the league wants the Lakers to win and is actively working to make that happen.
LA's eight free throw attempts were their fewest in a game since December 2021. It was addressed by LeBron James, who defended his team after their loss to the Suns.
“There’s this narrative out there that that’s all we do is get to the free-throw line. I mean, we have attackers, that’s what we do,” James said. “We’re not shooting 40-50 3s a game. We’re not that team. We don’t have the luxury of being that team. When we're getting to the paint, that's what we're really good at. So, to have eight free-throw attempts is definitely not us.”
The league wasn't working for or against the Lakers on Sunday. Instead, the team just faced tough and smart competition from Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and the rest of the Suns roster. While it is shocking to see LA attempt very few free throws, it was simply a result of playing against such a talented squad.
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