The Phoenix Suns suddenly find themselves on the backfoot entering Game 2 against the Los Angeles Clippers. The lower-seeded Clips took Game 1, stealing home-court advantage in the process. Now, Phoenix needs to win the next game, or they will head into LA with a terrifying 0-2 deficit. However, one person might stand in the way of the Suns: noted Chris Paul non-enjoyer Scott Foster, who will be the crew chief tonight, per Tom Haberstroh.
UPDATED: Scott Foster will be officiating Game 2 tonight LAC-PHX.
Chris Paul’s teams are 2-17 straight up and 2-17 against the spread (ATS) with Foster officiating in his playoff games.
13-game losing streak with Foster officiating (1-12 ATS) https://t.co/RN54xyiup8
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) April 18, 2023
Could this all just be a coincidence? Perhaps, but it’s a bizarre coincidence that spans nearly the entirety of Chris Paul’s career. The last time that Scott Foster officiated a Suns playoff game was in 2022, when Phoenix lost to the Pelicans in Game 2 of the first-round series. It’s a bizarre coincidence, and the two’s attitude towards each other certainly don’t help in dispelling any rumors.
Paul has openly criticized Foster during his time with the Rockets. That isn’t surprising: Foster has a reputation of making questionable calls at inopportune times. In the final game of the 2021 NBA Finals, the Suns guard also charged at Foster during the game, and he had to be held back by Bobby Portis. Clearly, Paul does not like the referee, and thinks that he’s making an impact on their games.
There’s one thing that Paul and the Suns can do, though, to combat the Scott Foster curse: play better. Their performances in Game 1 aren’t going to cut it in this series. Kawhi Leonard is looking like his 2019 self again, and Russell Westbrook is playing the perfect role for him. We’ll see how Chris Paul can manufacture his own “luck” against the perceived bad odds against him.
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