Published 5:02 a.m. PT April 15, 2025

Bill Simmons has long been known as one of the better writers and podcasters who cover the NBA, but his favoritism for the Boston Celtics makes him a target for some fans, especially fans of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Unlike some Lakers haters, he doesn't hide his distaste for the Purple and Gold. He makes his disgust for the Lakers so obvious that one has to wonder how he can possibly be objective when it comes to any opinions or analysis that have to do with them.

With the Lakers set to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs, Simmons made an appearance on "The Zach Lowe Show" and accused them of getting more favorable officiating than other teams (from 1:09:32).

“You’re playing the Lakers in a playoff series. You’re just not going to get as many calls as them. It’s just a fact,” Simmons said of the Timberwolves’ chances against LA. “... LeBron [James] and Luka [Doncic] are two of the hardest guys to officiate for different reasons.”

On the surface, this may seem like a valid point. The Lakers did rank third in free throw attempts, as well as second in free throw makes, during the regular season. But it wasn't because of biased officiating or any sort of conspiracy theory.

James actually attempted just 4.7 foul shots a game during the regular season, which was a career low for him. But he draws fouls because of how he attacks the rim, and obviously, attacking the rim or the paint tends to get players and teams to the free throw line more often.