LeBron James passionately expresses frustration towards the NBA's replay center over calls; Lakers suffer defeat to a buzzer-beater, now trailing Denver 2-0

LeBron James seethed with frustration as the Los Angeles Lakers let a crucial opportunity slip away. It wasn't merely about squandering a 20-point lead or his own late missed shot that could have sealed the game. It was Jamal Murray's fadeaway buzzer-beater that handed the Denver Nuggets a 101-99 victory in Game 2 of their first-round series on Monday night.

However, James' ire wasn't directed solely at the on-court action. It extended to the NBA's replay center in Secaucus, New Jersey. At the core of his anger was a second-half foul call involving Michael Porter Jr. and D'Angelo Russell that was overturned, with the league ruling that Porter's contact was minimal.

"I'm baffled by what's happening in the replay center," remarked James, as his team heads back to Los Angeles trailing 2-0. "D-Lo clearly took a hit to the face on the drive. Why do we even have a replay center if... it's senseless. It truly bothers me."

James, typically verbose in postgame interviews, was more succinct this time. He had the chance to put the Lakers ahead with a wide-open three-pointer late in the game, but it bounced out.

"It just rimmed out," lamented James, who notched 26 points and 12 assists.

The rebound fell to Porter, leading to Murray's game-winning shot over Anthony Davis as time expired.

James cut straight to the chase afterward:

On Denver's comeback: "We missed shots. We had good looks and didn't capitalize, while they did."

On Russell's performance: "We never doubted him. D-Lo is always D-Lo."

On carrying lessons into Game 3: "Each game poses its own challenges."

On coping with the loss: "It's always tough to lose in such a manner."

His frustration with the replay center stemmed from earlier calls, including one in which a foul on James was overturned after a challenge by the Nuggets.

He also referenced an earlier game on Monday, where the New York Knicks clinched a dramatic win over the Philadelphia 76ers. James pointed out the Knicks' go-ahead three-pointer after a disputed possession involving a potential foul and timeout calls by the 76ers.