Chris Kaman confused by foul calls in Lakers-Cavaliers game

CLEVELAND -- The Lakers won a bizarre game after Robert Sacre was allowed to keep playing despite picking up his sixth foul.

Lakers center Chris Kaman wondered how he and Sacre each picked up six fouls in the first place Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“It was hard to gauge what [referees] were trying to do,” he said after the Lakers’ 119-108 victory. “It’s hard to know if they want it to be real physical. And some nights they don’t let anything go by and they call everything. I thought tonight that, myself and Rob, there were some fouls that were just really tough to swallow.”

Kaman fouled out with 8:29 to play, leaving the Lakers with only five healthy and available players.

Then Sacre picked up his sixth foul with 3:32 to play and it appeared the Lakers would have to play four on five. But an obscure rule was put in motion. Sacre was allowed to stay in the game, with a technical foul being called on the Lakers, because the team was down to only five healthy players. The Cavaliers were awarded a free throw because of the infraction. The Lakers led, 111-101, at the time.

Kaman had 13 points in 14 minutes but picked up a foul practically every other minute.

“Some of those fouls, I was trying to jump straight up purposely not to foul because I knew I had fouls and I was trying to get out of the way almost,” Kaman said. “Every time I got in the game, then I came right back out within two or three minutes.

“I’ve played basketball for a long time and I’ve never seen it to where you can’t play physical down in the paint or you can’t be physical on box-outs and rebounds. Some of the stuff that they don’t call is so questionable compared to the stuff that they do call. It’s hard to get a gauge and get a feel.”

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Lakers, despite two more injuries, hold off the Cavaliers, 119-108