NBA Commissioner Adam Silver shared what he expects to see from Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul and referee Scott Foster moving forward during a conversation on SirusXM NBA Radio.
Paul was ejected by Foster on November 22 against the Phoenix Suns. It was Paul’s seventh career ejection and the NBA legend said his beef with Foster was “personal.”
Paul’s former teams — the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Suns — lost 13 straight playoff games when Foster was the crew chief. In postseason games in which Foster has served as a referee, Paul’s overall record is 3-17 dating to 2008.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Adam Silver, Chris Paul, Scott Foster, Golden State Warriors Updates
“It’s personal,” Paul said. “We had a situation some years ago and it’s personal. The league knows. Everybody knows. There was a meeting and all of that. … I’m OK with a ref saying whatever they’re saying, but don’t use a tech to get your point across.”
Paul was fined $6,000 by the NBA for getting two techs and ejected versus the Suns. The Warriors star and Foster have never been on good terms.
“It was a whole thing,” Paul said of his issues with Foster. “But it’s still been a thing for a while. … It is what it is at this point. … If you are going to pop your s—, don’t use a tech to get your point across. We have these conversations all of the time. There are some officials who will talk back to you, which sometimes it’s healthy. It’s an intense game. … But he’s got power because he can call a tech.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Adam Silver, Chris Paul, Scott Foster, Golden State Warriors Updates
It will be fascinating to see when Foster works in another game Paul is playing in. Silver should probably step in and make sure Foster never officiates another Paul game, but that won’t happen.
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