LeBron James receives heavy backlash after sickening play on Anthony Edwards during Lakers playoff game

Basketball fans have called LeBron James out on social media after the NBA star was involved in a controversial moment with Anthony Edwards.

On Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a brutal 116-113 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of their first-round series.

The result leaves the Lakers behind 3-1 heading into the game five on Wednesday night in LA, with a win needed to boost their chances of progressing to the next round.

But the drama to come from the match wasn't the result, but a highly controversial moment between NBA legend James and Minnesota Timberwolves star Edwards that has left fans furious.

During the match, Edwards, who stood out as a star performer in the match as he scored 43 points, attempted to retrieve a loose ball in the backcourt but collided with James who was also diving to grab the ball.

The two men crashed into each other in what looked to be a highly painful collision that saw Edwards fall to the ground and immediately clutch his knee in pain.

James appeared to come out of the clash completely unharmed, but fans are not happy with the 40-year-old, with many claiming that the challenge was, at best, reckless, and, at worst, intentional.

Reacting to a clip of the moment on social media, one fan wrote: "Please speak up and be honest. That’s a dirty play by Bron."

While another agreed, writing: "Sickening stuff from LeBron diving at a player’s knee just because he’s cooking you shameless

One wrote: "LeBron 100% threw his body into ANT and I don’t want to hear anybody dismiss that nonsense. Stans and anybody else can lie but dude dove for the ball and then rolled his body into ANT to stop the fast break."

And one fan pointed out: "Coincidental after their skirmish a few minutes ago."

Thankfully, Edwards appeared to be ok after the clash as he later got up and was able to continue playing and is expected to be available for game five.

Many fans also compared the indecent to one earlier in LeBron's career, when the NBA legend was on the receiving end of a cynical challenge from Solomon Hill who collided with his James' ankle and injured him in 2021.

Hill later apologised for the moment, insisting that it was an accident and that he would "never disrespect the game and take a player out purposely."