Basketball superstar LeBron James is well-known for his forthrightness in criticizing officiating decisions he finds questionable.
Such was the case recently following an altercation with Portland Trail Blazers newcomer Scoot Henderson, which left James with visible injuries during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 134-110 victory. Expressing his discontent on Instagram, James shared a photo showing three deep scratch marks on his right shoulder, a result of an encounter during the third quarter of the game.
The caption conveyed his disbelief at the referee’s response: “Look right at me and said ‘I didn’t see a foul!'” James expressed, indicating his frustration with the situation.
The marks on James’ shoulder were clear evidence of a physical encounter.
The incident occurred as James drove towards the basket, encountering Henderson under the rim. The ball was lost and went out of bounds, with the officials ruling it a turnover by James. In the heat of the moment, James sought a foul call from referee Mousa Dagher, even pointing out the scratches on his shoulder. The televised broadcast highlighted James receiving medical attention for the scratches.
Further replay angles revealed Henderson making contact with James’ shoulder using his left hand.
While James is known to voice his complaints and may not always acknowledge officiating errors in his favor, in this instance, it appears evident that a foul was missed by the officials. Nonetheless, the Lakers’ significant lead ensured that this oversight did not impact the game’s outcome.