OKLAHOMA CITY — Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle offered an impassioned and somewhat unprompted defense of referee Scott Foster on Sunday, evidently aware of the mountains of online criticism that came after Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Foster was one of the three on-court referees assigned to Game 4, which had more fouls called and more free throws awarded than any of the three previous games in the series. Foster — who has long been a lightning rod for critics — did not work any of those first three games.
“I think it’s awful, some of the things I’ve seen about the officiating and Scott Foster in particular,” Carlisle said. “I’ve known Scott Foster for 30 years. He’s a great official. He’s done a great job in these playoffs. We’ve had him a lot of times.”
Foster called 23 personal fouls in the game — 12 on the Oklahoma City Thunder, 11 on the Pacers, with one flagrant on each as well. He also issued double technical fouls, one going to Indiana’s Obi Toppin, the other to Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Hartenstein.
“We have to do a better job not fouling,” Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton acknowledged after Game 4.
Friday’s game was the 26th finals game Foster has worked, more than any other active referee. He has worked 262 playoff games, also the most among active refs. But whenever Foster officiates a game, online critics tend to weigh in — almost from the moment the league announces the crews for a given night, which happens about 9 a.m. Eastern on game days.
The league does not reveal its ranking system for referees, but Foster having worked 18 finals makes clear he’s traditionally one of the highest-rated in the league.
And it should be noted that Carlisle was the losing coach in Game 4 — yet felt compelled to defend Foster’s work.
“The ridiculous scrutiny that’s being thrown out there is terrible and unfair and unjust and stupid,” Carlisle said.
Carlisle got to the Foster-related comments after being asked Sunday about how the Pacers let a 10-point second-half lead slip away, got outscored 31-17 in the fourth quarter of Game 4 and what role he thought officiating played in that outcome.
“Tough losses are a part of a playoff series,” Carlisle said. “If this was easy, they would be pulling people off the street to play in the NBA Finals and coach and do what you guys are doing. You guys are the best in the world. Everybody else here is perceived to be the best in the world at this moment. So it’s difficult. You look at it, you take it for what it is and it becomes pretty clear the things that you need to do to be better.”
Foster is one of 12 referees assigned to the finals. Each works one of the first four games, and then the NBA selects again to see who will work Games 5, 6 and, if necessary, Game 7. If Foster doesn’t work Game 6, it would seem likely he would be a pick to work Game 7 if the series goes that far.