Lakers demand consistency from referees as technical fouls pile up in Clippers loss

The only thing left for JJ Redick to do was joke about it. What else could be said after the Lakers hit just six of 38 3-pointers in a 103-88 loss to the Clippers on Saturday?

“I was proud that we improved from three 4s of 33,” the coach deadpanned. “So we got better as the game went on.”

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With four regular starters limited by injuries, the Lakers’ frigid shooting night condemned them to a season low in points. Star guard Luka Doncic left the game with 12 points at halftime after a left leg contusion suffered in the first half. Redick noticed the NBA’s leading scorer limping onto the court during the second quarter. Starters Austin Reaves (calf), Deandre Ayton (elbow) and Rui Hachimura (groin) were all sidelined for the game, as was key reserve Gabe Vincent (back).

That left only LeBron James, who had 36 points, four rebounds and three assists as the Lakers (19-8) fell behind by 22 but cut the deficit to seven in the fourth quarter before fading again.

“We just didn’t shoot,” said James, who was three of seven from 3-point range and hit half of the team’s threes. “It happens throughout the season. We looked good. We just didn’t shoot. But we still gave ourselves a chance to be in the game with our good defense, our competitive spirit, our competitive nature.”

Here are three takeaways from the game:

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The Lakers implore the referees who don’t give up

The Lakers have been issued five technical fouls in their last two games for conduct with officials as frustration over inconsistent calls is starting to grow. After Doncic, Jaxson Hayes and Marcus Smart were given technical fouls in the third quarter of Thursday’s win over Utah, Doncic and Smart were hit again Saturday in the first and third quarters, respectively.

“I think of any coach, of any player, what we ask is consistency,” Redick said. “And it’s not about singling out an official or a crew, it’s not about that. We need to know what it’s about night after night.”

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Smart also committed a technical foul against Utah after attempting to talk to an official during halftime. When Smart walked away in frustration, he raised his middle finger at the referee, a gesture that earned him a $35,000 fine Saturday, the NBA announced.

“Sometimes you have to take the hit to get your point across,” Smart said Saturday.

Read more: The Lakers lose Luka Doncic to injury, then fall to the Clippers despite LeBron James’ 36 points

Redick expressed further frustration with the lack of transparency in the replay system and opaque communication with officials. He said he received no feedback when he asked for it and the distinction between plays that can and cannot be challenged seems to change every night.

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The lack of communication was also frustrating for the players, said Smart, who met with referees before the Utah game as a team captain, but his questions were still denied.

“The captain should be able to talk to them,” Smart said. “They still don’t want to hear it. So control what you can control. They don’t want to talk, you know, you try and move on. But it’s definitely frustrating when you pour your whole heart into this game and the feedback is literally waving at you, telling you to get out of your face and then giving you a technology because you’re asking a simple question.”

Very out of place

The Lakers had by far their worst shooting night of the season, making just 34 of 88 shots (38.6%). The team that was second in the NBA in shooting percentage hadn’t shot worse than 40.3 percent from the field in a game this season. Their shaky three-point shooting that was 23rd in the league (34.5%) also found a new low: 15.8% (six of 38) three-point shooting is the worst for the team since Jan. 3, 2024, when the Lakers hit four of 30 threes in a 110-96 loss to Miami.

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Smart, who had made 14 of 28 three-pointers in his last three games, missed all nine of his long-range shots Saturday and finished with five points on one of 12 shots. Jake LaRavia, acquired as a free agent in part for his three-point shooting, was 0-for-4 from beyond the arc. The 24-year-old is shooting a career-low 32.1 percent from three-point range this season despite going 8-for-15 in the first five games of the year.

“I know I’m a good shooter, everyone on the staff knows I’m a good shooter, everyone on the team knows I’m a good shooter,” LaRavia said. “At some point, I have to shoot. Obviously, I’ve been in a slump pretty much the whole season, other than that first period of games where I was making some. But they’re going to fall.”

LeBron James carries the load alone

Once Doncic left the game, the Lakers’ best chance to score points became “effort attack,” LaRavia said. Digging in, grabbing offensive rebounds and picking up points in transition was almost enough as the Lakers put together a 15-0 run to cut the Clippers’ lead from 22 points to seven with 7:56 remaining in the quarter.

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Redick praised the team’s “incredible spirit,” noting that James has led the charge in that regard. In addition to making 15 of 28 field goals for his season-high in points, James had two steals and a block. After driving aggressively to the basket for a layup through contact and finishing a three-point play to cut the lead to nine, he was the first to dive to the floor for a loose ball on the ensuing defensive possession when he knocked the ball away from Kawhi Leonard.

With the Clippers (7-21) playing much of the game without center Ivica Zubak, who rolled an ankle in the first quarter and did not return, James took advantage of the smaller lineup by aggressively entering the paint.

“He did a great job of driving the basketball,” Redick said. “Every time he did it [Brook] Lopez on him, he would beat him from the perimeter. Great game from him.”

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James, who turns 41 on December 30, has passed the unofficial “training camp” phase after missing the first 14 games of the season due to right sciatica. He has averaged 30 points in his last three games while shooting 50% from the field.

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.