Pacers coach Rick Carlisle defends NBA Finals referee Scott Foster after fan criticism
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle defends NBA Finals referee Scott Foster after fan criticism
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Pacers and Thunder NBA Finals is better than it's 'small-market' billing
USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt breaks down the star-studded NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Sports Pulse
Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle took exception Sunday to the criticism being levied at officiating during the NBA Finals, specifically the rebukes against Scott Foster.
'I think it's awful some of the things I've seen about officiating, and Scott Foster in particular,' Carlisle said Sunday, June 15. 'I've known Scott Foster for 30 years. He is a great official. He has done a great job in these playoffs. We've had him a lot of times. The ridiculous scrutiny that is being thrown out there is terrible and unfair and unjust and stupid.'
Many Pacers and NBA fans had taken to social media to criticize Foster for his performance Friday night in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, an eventual 111-104 Oklahoma City Thunder victory that evened the series at 2-2.
Both teams combined to shoot 71 free throws, including 38 by the Thunder.
In particular, fans took exception to a play when Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pushed off against Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith on a drive toward the left baseline, before Gilgeous-Alexander drained a step-back jumper. Gilgeous-Alexander appeared to take an extra step on the play, though he stumbled as he gathered his feet; Foster was very near the play, observing the action from the baseline.
Foster officiated Game 4 with Josh Tiven (sixth Finals) and Sean Wright (second Finals). On the NBA's Last Two-Minute Report, referee operations examined 17 plays at found they were all 'correct calls' or 'correct no-calls.'
Foster had reffed one previous Pacers playoff game this season.
Some fans have given Foster the nickname 'The Extender,' claiming that he has a history of making dubious calls during the playoffs that have extended series.
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Longtime NBA writer Tom Haberstroh, however, referenced a study that says there's 'not much evidence at all' of Foster's ability to 'extend' the series.
Haberstroh said Foster called 23 fouls (11 on the Pacers, 12 on the Thunder), Tiven called 17 fouls (nine on the Pacers, eight on the Thunder) and Wright called 13 fouls (seven on the Pacers, six on the Thunder).
Bill Simmons, the former writer and now media executive and podcaster, said of the game: 'It was just an abomination. It was a typical Scott Foster (game), all over the place, just involved like weird stoppages, missed calls, like calling touch fouls, then not calling somebody getting clubbed in the head. They had no control of this entire game.'
How are NBA Finals referees selected?
According to the NBA, playoff referees are selected, 'based on their overall performance throughout the first three rounds of the NBA Playoffs 2025. Officials were evaluated by the NBA Referee Operations management team after each round to determine advancement in this year's postseason.'
Who is NBA referee Scott Foster?
Foster is considered one of the best referees in the league.
An official in his 30th season with the NBA, Foster entered this season having officiated 1,675 regular season games and 241 postseason games. Friday night was Foster's 25th time officiating an NBA Finals game. This is his 18th NBA Finals, overall.
Foster is also a noted pickleball player.
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