The Oklahoma City Thunder took a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals.
- Game One: Thunder 114 Timberwolves 88
- Game Two: Thunder 118 Timberwolves 103
Game two needed to be delayed as referee Scott Foster received a bloody nose during the contest.
Scott Foster Gets Bloody Nose With Chris Paul In The Building
The injury happened when Foster presided over a jump ball between Julius Randle and Lu Dort. Randle got the ball, while Dort whiffed and accidentally hit Foster in the face with his hand.
Here is the video of what happened.
Scott Foster gets kicked and hit in the face. 😬
(h/t @LeagueAlerts)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 23, 2025
Dort’s foot also seems like it connected with Foster’s midsection.
The contest needed to be paused for a couple of minutes as Foster needed medical attention before returning to the game.
Referees get injured on occasion during games. That is the price of the job. What makes this more interesting is the fact Chris Paul was in the building.
The feud between Foster and Paul is legendary in the NBA. Paul has a 3-17 record in postseason games that Foster officiated. He has openly complained about Foster to reporters.
Paul was in attendance as part of the MVP presentation for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Start Of Chris Paul & Scott Foster Feud
The feud between Chris Paul and Scott Foster goes back to 2015. There was an incident when Foster allegedly honked his car horn at Paul. Paul was holding his son and blocking Foster’s vehicle. There was no interaction between Foster and Paul’s son but the incident led to accusations of unprofessional behaviour against Foster. An investigation was conducted but the matter was dismissed.
On The Court Issues
Paul has a 3-17 record in postseason games that Foster officiated. He has openly complained about Foster to reporters. There is a perception of bias from fans and analysts suggesting Foster’s officiating has a negative impact on Chris Paul.
Public Statements
Chris Paul was ejected by Chris Foster during a game back in November 2023. Paul described his problem with Foster as “personal,” citing the incident with his son from back in 2015. Chris Paul emphasized that refs have a job to do, but that technical fouls should not be used to settle personal issues.
Adam Silver commented on the situation and said that while Paul and Foster do not need to be friends, they both need to remain professional.
