Boston Fans May Not Want to Look at NBA's L2M Report From Celtics-Lakers OT Showdown

Boston came out victorious over the rival Lakers at TD Garden

Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics got back in the win column Saturday night.

Boston entered its showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers in the middle of a mini funk after losing three straight games and broke out of it with a 125-121 overtime win over its bitter rival.

Although the Celtics were able to come away with the big victory, it wasn't without any drama. The Celtics and Lakers battled to the last minute and Los Angeles had a chance to take a lead just before time expired as LeBron James drove toward the net. The 18-time All-Star missed a lay-up but appeared to be fouled but no call was made. Boston eventually won in overtime, but the NBA released its latest Last Two Minute Report and it appears as though a foul should've been called at the end of the game to give James free throws. 

The NBA has already determined in its postgame review that the officials got the call wrong on the Lakers’ last possession of the 4th Q and a Jayson Tatum should have been called for a shooting foul on LeBron James, league sources told ESPN.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 29, 2023

While it's true that the miscall at the end of the contest favored Boston, there were so multiple calls that favored Los Angeles toward the end of the game including a missed foul call on Lakers guard Patrick Beverley.

Last two-minute report says Tatum did indeed foul LeBron on the drive while it also says Beverley made contact with Brown’s head on that putback. #Celtics #Lakers.

— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) January 29, 2023

At the end of the day, a win is a win no matter how it happens. Boston got back in the win column and now will look to continue the momentum when it welcomes the Brooklyn Nets to town on Wednesday night with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET from TD Garden. 

Further Reading

1:1 with Paul Pierce on What the Celtics-Lakers Rivalry Means to Him; Jayson Tatum's Growth, His Evaluation of Boston's Season, and More

The Latest on Marcus Smart's Status; Another Celtics Starter May Miss Saturday's Game vs. Lakers

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss vs. Knicks: Boston's Offense Hurts Its Defense in Overtime Defeat

The Top 5 Plays from Thursday's Celtics-Knicks Overtime Thriller

Here's How Celtics Responded to Jaylen Brown's Late Missed Free Throws in Loss vs. Knicks

Jayson Tatum Starting in Fourth All-Star Game Appearance; Jaylen Brown a Virtual Lock to Earn a Reserve Spot

For the Celtics, a Quiet Trade Deadline May Prove the Best