NBA referee Scott Foster faced an injury on Thursday night during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals between the Thunder and the Timberwolves.
The incident occurred when the 58-year-old referee was accidentally struck in the face by Oklahoma City forward Lugentz Dort following a jump ball early in the first quarter. Dort was vying for the ball as the Timberwolves advanced, and, well, things got a bit chaotic.
In a separate play, Julius Randle also inadvertently hit Foster, this time with a bit of a kick.
As a result, Foster ended up with a bloody nose and had to pause the game momentarily to consult with a doctor who was with the trainers.
This wasn’t the first time Foster faced injury this season. Earlier, a calf issue had sidelined him during a regular season game between the Knicks and the Heat.
Interestingly, veteran point guard Chris Paul was in attendance for this game, witnessing Foster’s predicament firsthand. Paul, who was on the sidelines for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP recognition, has a long history with Foster and has expressed his frustrations about the referee in the past.
In playoff games officiated by Foster, Paul holds a troubling 3-17 record, and he hasn’t hesitated to voice his opinions on their encounters.
The rivalry between the two began back in 2018 when Paul criticized Foster after receiving a technical foul in a regular season match, saying, “Yeah, Scott will be his best foster parent.” He continued to elaborate on their dynamic during that game, hinting at the difficulties of reaching a mutual understanding during these intense moments.
Despite the injury, Foster continued on with the game after being checked by medical personnel.
