Controversial Reaves Free Throws Save Lakers vs Nuggets

Merlin sees the Lakers’ win over the Nuggets wrapped in controversy. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports the Last Two Minutes Report said Austin Reaves “should not have been given free throws” with 9.2 seconds left after Spencer Jones “cleanly” dislodged the ball. Reaves still tied the game in regulation and Luka Dončić hit the OT winner, a sequence that directly shaped the outcome and helped extend Los Angeles’ streak. Merlin notes the game felt like a collision of giants: Dončić 30-13-11, Reaves 32, and Nikola Jokić 24-16-14 with five steals. At 42-25 and third in the West, the Lakers will ride momentum while the Nuggets push for clarity. Expect debate, a likely league response, and coaches angling for sharper endgame enforcement.