SUMMARY
- The Toronto Raptors experienced a controversial one-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, sparking criticism and accusations of biased officiating against NBA referee Ben Taylor.
- Key moments contributing to the controversy include the overturning of a foul, a moving screen to overturn a three-pointer, and the Lakers receiving an extra 21 free throws in the fourth quarter alone.
In a recent NBA match, the Toronto Raptors suffered a one-point (131-132) loss against the Los Angeles Lakers. The game was highlighted by controversial referee calls. The game has sparked a lot of criticism, especially directed at NBA referee Ben Taylor, as multiple crucial calls in the last quarter decided the outcome of the game.
Key moments that sparked controversy include the overturning of a foul and a moving screen to overturn a three-pointer. Also, the Lakers got an extra 21 free throws in the fourth quarter alone, a number that took the attention of fans and analysts. This number of free throws in the game’s final moments has led to accusations of biased officiating.
This is crazy 😳 pic.twitter.com/PrTBr94Io8
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 10, 2024
Raptors’ head coach Darko Rajakovic expressed his frustration in the postgame interview, especially how the All-Star Scottie Barnes was treated. Rajakovic highlighted the difference in the number of free throws Barnes was given in comparison to the Lakers.
Darko is a real one. pic.twitter.com/qPUykwR2pO
— Kayla Grey (@Kayla_Grey) January 10, 2024
“How is it possible that Scottie Barnes, who is an All-Star caliber player in this league, he goes every single time to the rim with force without flopping, he gets two free throws for the whole game. How is that possible? How will you explain that to me? They had to win tonight.” Rajakovic stated.
The Raptors fan took to social media to slam Taylor and his officiating. One fan wrote, “Ben Taylor is god damn awful, Lakers games are unwatchable with these referees,” while another added, “#bentaylor needs to be out of the league.” These comments reflect the frustration among the fanbase, who supported Rajakovic’s accusations of bias.
Ben Taylor’s bitter history with the Toronto Raptors
Ben Taylor’s controversy with the Toronto Raptors is nothing new. Last season, Taylor was the target of harsh criticism from Fred VanVleet, a key player for the Raptors, after a game against the Clippers.
VanVleet openly criticized Taylor’s officiating, stating that he was “f**king terrible,” which led to a fine for VanVleet but Taylor didn’t suffer any public consequences for his action. Following this incident, Taylor experienced a brief demotion from major games.
“I’ll take a fine. I don’t really care. I thought Ben Taylor was f**king terrible today. On most nights, out of the 3, there’s 1 or 2 that just f**k the game up. it’s been like that a couple of games in a row.” VanVleet stated.