After being called for a foul under the rim, four-time MVP LeBron James let loose a profanity-laced tirade, including several “F-bombs” that could be heard on the broadcast.
The Lakers lost 114 - 103 in a game in which they never held the lead. LeBron played well, scoring 30 points on 11 for 19 shooting, but it wasn’t enough for the Lakers, who have failed to live up to the expectations they set after winning the title in LeBron’s second year with the team.
The profanity-laced rant wasn’t the only viral LeBron moment in the game. While trying to save an errant ball, LeBron attempted to throw the ball at Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes with significant force - it appeared in the video to hit Barnes directly in the face. However, he later indicated in post-game interviews that he was able to cover his face before being hit with the ball. Barnes scored 21 points in the game.
Monday night’s game wasn’t the first time LeBron let F-bombs fly on live TV as he also dropped one while giving a speech during the 2016 Cavaliers NBA championship celebration.
The Lakers are 2-8 in their last 10 games and are fighting for a spot in the play-in tournament that begins on April 12. If things don’t turn around soon, they could miss the playoffs altogether, which has only happened three times in LeBron’s career, the last being his injury-plagued 2019 season and before that, in 2005.
The Lakers currently hold the 9th seed, at 29 - 39, with the 10th-seeded New Orleans Pelicans just a game behind and bubble teams Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs sitting at 26 - 41 and 26 - 43, respectively.
The Lakers currently have the second-toughest remaining schedule, according to Tankathon.