LeBron James and the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, fired back at Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr’s accusations of Lakers players flopping during the NBA Playoffs matchup. In a post-game interview after the Lakers’ victory in Game 5, James slammed Kerr’s remarks, saying, “I don’t go down the rabbit hole of blaming officials.”
Kerr had complained about the officiating after the Lakers won Game 4, accusing Lakers players of flopping to draw fouls. He specifically mentioned that some of the fouls called against the Warriors were “flops” by the Lakers, and that the Lakers “understand how to generate some calls.”
Darvin Ham on Steve Kerr’s comments on the Lakers flopping: “I just control what I can control, which is coaching my team. I don’t go down the rabbit hole of blaming officials.”
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) May 11, 2023
But James, who has been accused of embellishing light contact to draw whistles, defended his players and their aggressive playstyle, saying, “We don’t teach flopping. We teach our players to play downhill and attack the paint and be forceful.”
The Lakers have dominated their opponents from the free throw line during the playoffs, and James attributes this to their attacking mentality. “We often put the ball on the deck and attack the basket, which can lead to large free throw disparities compared to more jump shot-heavy teams like the Warriors,” he said.
James also rejected the idea that his players are a bunch of floppers, despite accusations from fans and opposing teams. “We’re not here to flop, we’re here to play basketball,” he said. “We’re going to attack the basket and be aggressive, and if that draws fouls, so be it.”
In the end, James made it clear that he’s not interested in getting caught up in debates about officiating or accusations of flopping. “We’re just focused on playing our game and winning,” he said. “That’s all that matters to us.”
Kerr Accuses Los Angeles Lakers of Flopping as Warriors Face Elimination in Western Conference Semifinals
After a tough 104-101 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr accused the Lakers of taking flops and receiving favorable calls from the referees. Despite his frustration with the officiating, Kerr acknowledged that the Warriors also struggled in the fourth quarter and that Lonnie Walker IV’s performance was a significant factor in the Lakers’ victory.
With the Warriors facing elimination in Game 5, Kerr and his team will need to make significant adjustments to their game plan. The team’s reliance on jump shots has proven to be less effective than the Lakers’ inside attack, and Klay Thompson’s inconsistent shooting has been a liability throughout the series.
On the other hand, the Lakers have capitalized on their size advantage, attacking the basket and drawing fouls. The team has also displayed a strong defensive presence, limiting the Warriors’ offensive opportunities.
As the two teams prepare to face off in Game 5, the pressure is on the Warriors to make a comeback and avoid elimination. Meanwhile, the Lakers will look to close out the series and advance to the next round of the playoffs.
