Chris Paul’s beef with referee Scott Foster, explained

Chris Paul really doesn’t like NBA referee Scott Foster. The star point guard has been a vocal critic of the official veteran throughout his career, and he has the numbers to back up his resentment.

Paul has lost his last 12 playoff games while Foster was on the referee squad. The only time Paul’s team have won a match with Foster installed as the referee was when Paul was held up while in league health and safety protocol in Game 2 of the Finals. of the Western Conference. Phoenix won this match on Deandre Ayton’s infamous dunk ‘Valley Oop’ on the buzzer.

Paul’s grievance against Foster will be put to the test in Game 6 of the 2021 NBA Finals. Foster is on the official roster for Tuesday night’s game with the Suns facing elimination as they lag 3-2 in the series with the game in Milwaukee.

Paul and the Suns have already lost a game in these finals refereed by Foster. The Bucks earned their first win in the series in Game 3 with Foster correcting the game.

Does Foster really have it for CP3? Here are some of the critical comments Paul has made about the grievor in recent years.

Chris Paul’s issues with Foster date back to his first playoff run

Paul made the playoffs for the first time in the third year of his career when he led the New Orleans Hornets to a shocking turnaround that saw the team tied for the fourth best record in the NBA at 56-26 this year.

Paul’s Hornets beat the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the first round, then clashed with defending champion San Antonio Spurs. The Hornets won the first two games, but lost the series in Game 7. Foster was part of the officials squad in that last game.

Paul said Foster reminded him that he was working in his very first Game 7 when the two shared the pitch in Game 7 in the bubble in the 2020 NBA Playoffs. What an odd thing for a referee to tell a player.

Chris Paul’s Rockets couldn’t win Scott Foster-led playoff game

Paul was traded from the Hornets to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2011 and immediately helped revitalize the franchise. The Clippers never got past the second round with Paul in the squad, mostly due to bad luck with injuries and clashes. When Paul was traded to the Rockets, his beef with Foster started to go public.

Paul’s rockets would have been 0-6 in playoff matches refereed by Foster. After receiving a technical foul in a loss in January 2018, Paul said the referee was “Scott Foster at his best”.

After losing in February 2019, James Harden and Paul each called Foster after the game. Harden said Foster should no longer be allowed to officiate Rockets games and called Foster “rude and arrogant,” saying he couldn’t have a conversation with him during the game.

Paul stepped in to say he had met the league about Foster in the past and didn’t know what else he could do.

Chris Paul’s Thunder team lost Game 7 to Rockets in the bubble

Paul was traded for Russell Westbrook in 2019 and had low expectations when he joined the Oklahoma City Thunder. While few expected Paul to last the season at OKC, he ended up delivering an All-Star season and leading the Thunder to the No.5 seed of the playoffs in the reboot bubble of the league.

The Thunder and Rockets played a formidable first-round series that spanned seven games, with the Rockets winning to advance to the playoffs. After the loss of Game 7, Paul again criticized Foster for whistling him for a delay in the call of the game.

Paul slammed Foster again after losing Game 3 to the Lakers

Paul was traded to the Phoenix Suns this season and led a team that had not made the playoffs since 2010 as the second seed in the Western Conference. The Suns had a tough game in the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers and lost Game 3 to fall 2-1 in the series.

Paul lambasted Foster after Game 3 and cited his record in the games the official called.

“If I were a punter, 11 games in a row,” Paul said. “Eleven games in a row.”

Now Scott Foster is serving the greatest game of Paul’s career in Game 6 of the 2021 NBA Finals

If the Suns lose, their season is over, and so is Paul’s best chance of winning an NBA championship.

Is Paul’s loss record against Foster just a coincidence? Game 6 can finally give us the answer.