Jordan Ott calls out the refs after screwing up in a Lakers game

The The Los Angeles Lakers escaped Phoenix with a 116-114 victory Sunday night behind LeBron James hit two decisive free throws in the final seconds. However, significant attention was paid to the officiating in the game, especially late in the fourth quarter when the Lakers overcame a late Phoenix charge to emerge victorious.

The trial proved so infuriating that Suns coach Jordan Ott called it after the gameaccording to a clip posted by ClutchPoints on Ks.

“There is no rhythm. They (officials) control the rhythm,” he said.

Despite being up 20 points in the fourth quarter, The Lakers relied on James’ late composure to improve to 18–7while the Suns fell to 14–12 after another narrow loss that reignited the debate over the influence of referees in superstar games.

Phoenix mounted a furious comeback in the final eight minutes, initially erasing a 99-79 deficit. Dillon Brooks capped the rally by hitting a 3-pointer with 12.2 seconds left by James in what appeared to be the defining moment of the night.

Instead, the fallout of the game backfired on Los Angeles, as Brooks hit James while running back on defense and was assessed a second technical foul, resulting in an ejection. A technical foul awarded the Lakers a free throw, which James missed, briefly preserving Phoenix’s one-point lead.

Moments later, with 3.9 seconds left, James attempted a contested 3-pointer and fouled Devin Booker. The call sent James to the line for three free throws, where the 40-year-old missed the first but converted the last two to give Los Angeles a 115–114 lead. Phoenix’s final possession ended with Grayson Allen forcing an awkward buzzer-beater that missed, sealing the Lakers’ run. James finished with 26 points for another age-defying final performance.

Luka Doncic led Los Angeles with 29 points, although he shot just 7 of 25 from the field and 2 of 14 from three. Deandre Ayton had a strong performance against his former team, posting 20 points and 13 rebounds

Regardless, the officiating continued to annoy fans and players alike. With 12.2 seconds left, the officials did not call a foul when James made contact with Brooks as he took off from his green three, a decision Suns fans believed should have resulted in an and-one.

Instead, Brooks’ reaction earned him a technical, a foul as the Suns failed to recover.