LeBron James Had Words For Alperen Sengun Over Foul Call: “You Don’t Say That”

LeBron James and Alperen Sengun engaged in a war of words during Game 5 of the Rockets-Lakers series.

LeBron James Had Words For Alperen Sengun Over Foul Call: “You Don’t Say That”

Alperen Sengun and LeBron James (Image credits - Firstsportz)

In Short
  • LeBron James confronted Alperen Sengun over a foul call during Game 5, stating he is not in a position to complain.
  • The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Houston Rockets 99-93, failing to close out the series.
  • The Rockets avoided elimination and have tied the series after being down 3-0.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers missed their second chance to close out the series on Wednesday night. The Lakers tried to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter but fell short as they succumbed to a 99-93 defeat to the Houston Rockets in Game 5 at the Crypto.com Arena. The Rockets avoided elimination for the second straight game.

During the game in the fourth quarter, when the Rockets had a double-digit lead, James was sent to the line to shoot free throws. Sengun was seen complaining at the officials and chirping at James. He was heard saying it is a “soft call” before James had had enough and called out the Rockets center.

Nah, not you. Anybody else on your roster but you. You don’t say that. You’re the only person here who ain’t allowed to say that. Soft a** call, yea, Ight!

Alperen Sengun is known for his constant complaining and foul-baiting, which usually doesn’t go down well with his opponents. The exchange between the Turkish star and LeBron James highlighted the series’ growing intensity.

James went on to hit both free throws after the exchange and helped the Lakers go on an 11-1 run. Kevin Durant missed his fourth game of the series, but the Lakers failed to capitalize on it.

There seems to be a shift in the momentum in the series now. While the Rockets were fighting to keep their 2025-26 campaign alive, the Lakers had the opportunity to seal the tie at home, especially with Austin Reaves back in the lineup.

Fans react to LeBron James and Alperen Sengun’s heated exchange

Just when it looked like the Lakers would run away with the series after taking a 3-0 lead, the Rockets have crawled back into the tie. There is still a lot to play for in the series, and the recent exchange between LeBron James and Alperen Sengun is only going to add more fuel to what is proving to be a heated series now.

After the mic captured James reminding the young center that he is in no position to complain about “soft calls”, fans were quick to take to social media to react to the exchange.

Fans found it ironic that Sengun was complaining about soft calls, as he is known for getting calls in his favor more often than not due to his foul-baiting. While the Lakers did make a strong comeback and brought the game to within three points, they weren’t able to take the lead in the final quarter. There is a lot of excitement heading into Game 6.

LeBron James’ struggles from three haunt the Lakers in Game 5

The Lakers looked like a better team for much of the first half, leading by 7 at the end of the first quarter. But things took a turn after that. The Rockets were leading 76-67 heading into the fourth.

LeBron James led the scorers with a game-high 25 points to go along with three rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. He has been outstanding in this series in the absence of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

LeBron James is expected to play better in Game 5
LeBron James (Image via DraftKings Sportsbook/X)

While the Lakers have shot well in the first three games, they struggled from beyond the arc on Wednesday night. They shot at just 26% from the three-point line in Game 5. James was the most blame as he missed all of his six three-point attempts.

Meanwhile, the Rockets stepped up to the task for their first road win in the series. Sengun posted 14 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in an impressive performance. The Rockets have the opportunity to level the series at home on Friday night.

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