Lakers' LeBron James sounds off on officiating, replay center after loss to Nuggets

DENVER -- After a heartbreaking 101-99 loss in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets on Monday, LeBron James was one of several Los Angeles Lakers players to criticize the officiating during his postgame comments.

"I don't understand what's going on in the replay center, to be honest," James said.

James has voiced his displeasure with the league's replay process several times this season, such as when his foot was ruled to be on the 3-point line in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and on the out of bounds line in a loss to the Golden State Warriors.

On Monday night in Denver, he specifically took issue with a shooting foul called against Michael Porter Jr. on D'Angelo Russell late in the third quarter that was overturned after Nuggets coach Michael Malone challenged the call.

"D-Lo clearly gets hit in the face on a drive," James said. "What the f--- do we have a replay center for if it's going to go [like that]. It doesn't make sense to me."

Russell was seemingly in agreement, writing on X after the game, "That's a foul we all saw it on national television."

L.A. led 79-69 with 39.5 seconds remaining in the third quarter when the foul was overturned, erasing two free throw attempts for Russell.

Crew chief Scott Foster announced over the public address system that Porter's contact was "marginal" and the call was overturned.

"It makes no sense to me," James continued. "It bothers me. ... That s--- it like ... And then I just saw what happened with the Sixers-Knicks game, too. Like, what are we doing?"

As James got up from the podium and headed toward the exit, he added, "It's f---ing stupid."