The Los Angeles Lakers went on the road to close out 2023 and started their road trip with another marquee game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves have been the best team in the Western Conference, but the Lakers were able to keep the game close for most of the evening. Despite trailing for most of the evening, Los Angeles managed to take a lead late in the fourth quarter and LeBron James had them seemingly in position to send the game to overtime after hitting a clutch jumper.

However, the officials ruled James’ jump shot a deep two and upheld the ruling even after reviewing the call on the floor. It was a blown call as replays had James’ foot slightly behind the 3-point line, but the referees kept the call on the floor, which allowed Minnesota to hold on for the win.

It was an upsetting end for the Lakers who looked like they got the short end of the stick on that call, but Darvin Ham said afterwards that it’s a decision that he and the team will have to live with, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“The view I had, I thought it was a clear-cut 3. But obviously I’m looking at where he stopped at and him just raising up and knocking it down. But they replayed it, our guys on the sideline replayed it, we thought it was a good 3. We just saw a still shot here a couple seconds ago that definitely looked like a 3. But they have people in other places looking at those plays too very closely and although I disagree, we have to live with it.”

Both teams took issue with how the game was officiated almost the entire night, but that last ruling was the most brutal one. Amidst of a rough stretch of basketball, this sort of loss is a tough one to swallow considering that Los Angeles could have very well won the game had it gone to overtime.

In some ways, it’s a blessing that the Lakers have another game on Sunday against the New Orleans Pelicans as they won’t have time to swell on this loss, but it’ll sting regardless. James and Ham have every right to feel frustrated with how things played out, but now they must focus ahead and try to get back on track.

Anthony Davis says having LeBron James as main ball-handler is good for Lakers lineup

Ham has tried to give the team a jolt by switching up the starting lineup. D’Angelo Russell moved to the bench and Jarred Vanderbilt now starts, leaving James to be the point guard.

It’s the same formula the Lakers used when they won their 2020 NBA Championship and Anthony Davis believes James as the main ball-handler is good for Los Angeles.