Scott Foster, controversial NBA ref, will not be officiating Game 7 of the NBA Finals. This puzzling decision comes in the face of his decades-long experience. Foster has worked more Finals series and games than any of the 12 referees selected by the NBA for this year’s Finals. That decision has made waves among supporters and analysts, not to mention fans.
Foster hadn’t only been considered the obvious choice to call Game 7, but the favorite to be named crew chief. As a result, his omission calls into question whether or not subjective criteria should be used to determine which officials are assigned to high stakes assignments. In Indiana on June 13, he was the crew chief for Game 4 in Indiana. This experience displayed his knack for handling pressure cooker games at an elite level.
Leading the group of selected Game 7 referees are James Capers, Josh Tiven & Sean Wright. Capers will work his 17th career Finals game, while Tiven, in his sixth Finals, reaches a milestone with his 10th game. This is Wright’s second consecutive Finals assignment and third overall. By contrast, Foster has only been the head official for one contest in this entire series—either as a full-time referee or a substitute.
Rick Carlisle, head coach of the Indiana Pacers, has been an outspoken defender of Foster in light of recent refereeing scandals. Having known Foster for 30 years, Jones said he was troubled by the intense focus placed on him.
“I think it’s awful some of the things I’ve seen about the officiating and Scott Foster in particular,” – Rick Carlisle
Carlisle further explained that the blame being placed on Foster is both cruel and undeserved.
“The ridiculous scrutiny that is being thrown out there is terrible and unfair and unjust and stupid.” – Rick Carlisle
Foster has the high praise in the league pedigree taking years to craft. He’s now considered one of the most influential and progressive officials in all of professional sports. Unfortunately, in the process, he has become a lightning rod for controversy. His officiating decisions have caused no shortage of headache and controversy for players, teams, and fanbases.
Referee assignment to important games is a complex process that takes into account many different factors including experience, historical performance, etc. The NBA correctly made Capers, Tiven, and Wright the Game 7 referees. They trust that these officials will be the best equipped to manage the emotional atmosphere of such a vital contest.
Warriors’ James Williams, pictured above, was an alternate for Game 7. He was the head official in Games 2 and 5, helping lead that crew to excellence. As the Finals approach their climax, all eyes will be on the chosen referees to see how they manage the high-pressure environment.
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