Lakers believe that fouls are not charged equally

All LeBron James could do was laugh Sunday when asked about the free throw disparity in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 123-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix shot 19 free throws compared to just eight for Los Angeles, which is a season low for the Lakers and ties the fewest such attempts in any game for the team since James joined the franchise in 2018.

While James was exasperated, his coach, Darvin Ham, was angry.

“I’m not one to use referees as an excuse,” Ham said. “But it’s getting harder and harder because of the inconsistency. I see our guys making the same contact with them that we’re supposedly making. And the whistle’s not blowing.”

Los Angeles entered the game averaging 24.7 free throws per game as a team, sixth most in the league.

“That’s something we focus on, trying to win the free throw line every game,” Ham added. “And that’s hard. I tell my guys to go downhill; we’re trying to love and live in the paint. And we don’t get calls from the referees. I see guys with their hands on our players’ ribs or swinging. , hitting their head, you try to block the shot, but you don’t receive the ball, but a piece of the body. And it’s not that they whistle at you, it’s that simple.

“So we have to find ways to not let that be a problem, but it’s difficult. Again, it’s frustrating when there’s so much inconsistency.”

The Lakers did not attempt a single free throw in the second half this Sunday, marking the first time one of James’ teams did not attempt a single free throw in any half since December 2015.

“A lot of people, a lot of coaches, a lot of teams say, ‘All the Lakers do is get to the free throw line,'” James said. “It’s like this narrative that says all we do is get to the free throw line. I mean, we have attackers. That’s what we do. We have attackers. Yes, we shoot the ball from the perimeter, but we don’t shoot.” from the perimeter. 40 to 50 triples per game. We are not that team. We don’t have the luxury of being that team. So working on the paint, that’s what we’re really good at.

“Having eight free throw attempts is definitely not our thing. I know, definitely, when I got to the paint tonight I got hit a couple of times that weren’t called. But it is what it is.”

James, who averages 5.4 free throw attempts per game, was 1 of 4 from the line. Lakers big man Anthony Davis, who averages 6.9 free throw attempts per game, had no free throw attempts for the first time all season.

“We live getting to the line. We attack the basket,” Davis said. “Especially how much we struggle from the 3-point line, we’re up and down, so we try to live in the paint and get to the line. I’m not sure if it was just the refs that missed it or not.” “I didn’t foul. I felt like I got fouled a couple of times. But that’s part of our identity, our DNA, getting to the line and guys learn rhythms like that and then play from there.”

As much as free throws were a factor, the Lakers did themselves no favors by allowing the Suns to score 45 points in the first quarter en route to a lead that grew to 20 points. Los Angeles cut the deficit to just two points late in the third quarter, but couldn’t get any closer.

Davis admitted that the Lakers allowed the referees’ decisions to affect his concentration.

“Whether we think we’ve been fouled or not, we have to get back (on defense) because the team is going to press,” Davis said. “We don’t want to be at a disadvantage. It happened a couple of times tonight. I think I had one against their bench. But we have to have a next-play mentality and come back knowing that teams are going to press.” , they are going to make us pay.