The 12-time All-Star’s reunion with Phoenix came to an end in the second quarter on Wednesday night when referee Scott Foster, his former adversary, ejected him.
Referee Scott Foster, Chris Paul’s longtime adversary, ejected him during the second quarter of Wednesday night’s game, ending Paul’s comeback to Phoenix.
Foster and the point guard for the Golden State Warriors have a tense history dating back almost ten years, with the guard complaining about Foster’s officiating. Paul now claims that the conflict stems, at least in part, from a long-standing problem involving his son.
“It’s intimate,” Paul stated. “It was a personal situation we had a few years ago. Everyone knows, including the league.
A meeting has taken place and all that. It’s just my son and this circumstance. If a referee says anything, I don’t mind; just don’t use technology to make your point.
“I need to improve my ability to stay on the floor for my teammates, but that’s all.”
Paul said that the incident involving his son occurred during his time as a player for the Los Angeles Clippers, who he played for from 2011 to 2017, but he would not elaborate on the specifics.
With 23.2 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Paul, 38, who was playing in Phoenix for the first time since being traded from the Suns during the offseason, was ejected following a protracted argument with Foster, earning him his first technical foul.
Foster left the room, but Paul continued to yell. The referee turned around and gave the point guard another technical, which led to the guard’s ejection. The NBA recently suspended forward Draymond Green for five games for grabbing Rudy Gobert by the neck, so the Warriors were already without him.
“I didn’t think Chris deserved to be sent off,” Steve Kerr, the coach of the Warriors, stated. “The initial tech? Indeed. However, I didn’t think the second one was necessary. Outside, everyone gets frustrated, but the official has the final say on that.
Prior to the guard leaving the court, Warriors team members needed to place themselves between Paul and Foster. Foster also gave Kerr a technical assessment.
Phoenix prevailed 115–123. Seven of Golden State’s last eight games have ended in losses.
