“Close but wrong!”: Chris Paul debunks viral transcript of heated altercation with Scott Foster
The most recent Golden State Warriors game against the Phoenix Suns focused on the heated exchange between Chris Paul and NBA referee Scott Foster. The incident escalated, resulting in Foster issuing a double technical on Paul, leading to his ejection from the game.
The veteran guard, visibly upset, expressed his grievances during the postgame press conference, drawing attention to the confrontation. The exact words between Scott Foster and Chris Paul remain unclear.
Rob Perez, a well-known fantasy basketball analyst, attempted to transcribe the dialogue between Foster and the Warriors' point guard to shed light on the heated exchange.
Paul himself confirmed on social media that the transcription was close to the actual words exchanged that night. But he also said that it was wrong.
"Close but wrong!" Paul said on Instagram
Looking back at how Chris Paul and Scott Foster's relationship became sour
The long-standing tension between Scott Foster and Chris Paul traces back to Paul's initial playoff appearances in 2008.
Paul, then with the New Orleans Hornets, progressed through the first round against the Dallas Mavericks but faced defeat to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7, where Foster was reportedly present.
This contentious relationship persisted during Paul's stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2020 NBA Playoffs. His team faced the Houston Rockets and eventually lost in a seven-game series, once more with Foster officiating the pivotal Game 7. Allegations arose when Foster seemingly reminded Paul of their previous Game 7 encounter in 2008 against the Spurs.
Before his time in Oklahoma, Paul had spent two seasons with the Houston Rockets, where sources reported a winless playoff record of 0-6 with Foster as an official.
On joining the Phoenix Suns, Paul encountered Foster again in the 2021 playoffs in a series against the LA Lakers. Although Phoenix clinched it in six games, a loss in Game 3 under Foster's officiation added to the ongoing speculation.
While these occurrences might be coincidental, accusations continue to circulate. Despite the Suns' advancement to the 2021 NBA Finals, they eventually fell short in six games, with Foster officiating Game 6.
The strained relationship between Foster and Chris Paul seems unchanged, with Foster continuing to poorly officiate games involving the Golden State Warriors guard.