LeBron James sends strong message after controversial Austin Reaves ejection

Despite the presence of new star Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a hugely disappointing home defeat to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, with the outcome of the game influenced by the controversial ejection of Austin Reaves.

Why was Austin Reaves ejected from Lakers vs Hornets?

Reaves was thrown out of the game in the third quarter after venting his frustration at the referee following a no-call for a perceived foul by Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic.

From afar, the guard furiously swung his arm through the air in the direction of the official, who promptly invited him to leave the court. LeBron James later revealed some choice words were said too: “He said the F-bomb too many times”.

The Lakers were 65-60 ahead at the time and, as confirmed by James after the game, were unsettled by Reaves' ejection. The Hornets came back to win 100-97 for only their second victory in 11 games.

James stands up for Reaves against referee

Although Reaves’ ejection was, in theory, entirely avoidable, James stuck up for his teammate and voiced his belief the referee had jumped the gun by throwing him out.

“It deflated us a little bit. He had every right to argue the missed call. What he said after that I don’t think warranted him getting kicked out.”

Reaves hadn’t had his best evening up until that point, registering eight points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks in 27 minutes on court. However, the game was tight enough for his ejection to have a significant impact.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.