Suns Coach Monty Williams Heated Over 46 FT Attempts Awarded To Lakers In Latest NBA-Ref Beef

Refs this, refs that ... the NBA can't stop blaming officiating.

On the same night that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban disputed Dallas' loss to the Warriors over an "officiating error," Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams blamed a contrast in awarded free throws for the team's loss to the Lakers on Wednesday, 122-111.

Too Many Free Throws For LA, Says Monty Williams

Williams took one question from the postgame media and stormed off in frustration. Monty was bent on calling out the officiating. The frustration was palpable as the Suns dropped a winnable game against the 10th-seeded Lakers, who are desperately playing for a postseason spot.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Williams said,

"Where do you see a game with 46 free throws for one team? That's just not right," Williams said. "I don't care how you slice it. It is happening to us too much. Other teams are reaching, other teams are hitting, and we're not getting the same call, and I'm tired of it. It's old.

"Forty-six to 20 free throws with Devin Booker on our team. He gets 12. I mean, our bench had no free throws. It's just ... I'm over it. Been talking about the same thing for a while. Doesn't matter what team it is."

Lakers Need To Make The Postseason

Is Monty Williams out of his gourd for calling nepotism by the refs in a pivotal game for LA? Well, the coach may have a point if one believes that the NBA would prefer to include the Lakers in the postseason.

With less than 10 games left and in danger of losing positioning for the play-in tournament, the Lakers were in a must-win situation against Phoenix.

Two games from reaching .500 and aiming for the play-in seeding, Darvin Ham's Lakers needed to defeat the Suns and did so, with the 46 free throws (36-of-46) providing a big boost.

Had LA suffered a loss, the Lakers faced the danger of sliding to the 12th seed.

Instead, the Lakers (36-37) look to hit .500 Friday night with a win over the OKC Thunder (36-36).

Is it in the NBA's best interest to have LeBron James and the Lakers in the postseason? Certainly, but the bitter defeat of losing to the lesser Lakers must have hit a nerve with Monty Williams.

After all, the Suns are better known for complaining about officiating than LA, and that's saying something.

If the Lakers pull off a miracle run to the Finals, then we can start getting suspicious because we all know that ain't a championship squad.

(Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)