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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

In every sport, referees and players have a complicated relationship. Some players respect the referee, while others constantly challenge the ref’s every decision. Yet, few relationships in the NBA are as strained as the one between Golden State Warriors’ star Chris Paul and veteran referee Scott Foster.

The two have constantly butted heads over the course of their illustrious career, with the most recent altercation occurring in November 2023. In a game against the Phoenix Suns, Foster ejected CP3 in the first half because of an argument related to Paul’s son. In a post-match interview, Paul claimed that the feud between the two was personal. He said, “We had a situation some years ago, and it’s personal. The league knows, everybody knows, and it’s been a meeting and all that. It’s a situation with my son and so, yeah.”

Given the acrimonious relationship between Paul and Foster, Chris Paul was left shocked by teammate Draymond Green’s surprising revelation. In a recent episode of the Draymond Green Show, Green called Foster “one of his favorite officials”. Paul, shocked by the revelation, said, “I never knew he was your man.” Draymond made further attempts to prompt Paul into discussing Foster, but CP declined to engage in a conversation about the referee. He said, “I can’t, not right now, but in due time we’ll have that conversation. I can’t right now.”

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It’s no secret that Chris Paul and Scott Foster share a less-than-amicable relationship. However, at times it has looked like both CP and Foster share a personal vendetta against each other, which goes beyond the game of basketball. Numerous former players have suggested removing Scott Foster from officiating duties during Chris Paul’s games. This raises the question of how much Foster truly affects Paul’s on-court performances.

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Chris Paul’s abysmal record in games officiated by Foster

The feud between CP3 and Foster has coincidentally affected Paul’s playoff record. Paul has just won three of twenty playoff games in which Foster has officiated. In fact, Chris Paul lost thirteen straight Foster-officiated games before the Suns’ 123-109 victory over the Clippers in the 2023 playoffs.

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Foster seems to get under Chris Paul’s skin because his sub-par record isn’t consigned to one team, he has accumulated this record over five different teams and three different decades. With little signs of the two wanting to mend their acrimonious relationship, CP3 and Foster are on a collision course for future alterations. Let’s just hope that it doesn’t turn ugly or distasteful.

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