The Miami Heat is a team that has struggled to find success in the postseason. The most successful player on this team, even if he isn’t the best player, has been Chris Paul of the Houston Rockets. He holds an impressive 14-game winning streak over CP3’s career which includes five wins at home and 11 losses away from their arena.
Prior to the NBA playoffs in 2022, it seemed like no team would be able to beat the No. 1 seed Phoenix Suns in a seven-game series. That may still be the case, but the Suns should be concerned about an entirely different opponent preventing them from reaching the NBA Finals for the second consecutive season.
Who is that adversary? Scott Foster is the official referee.
Chris Paul has now lost 14 consecutive playoff games officiated by Foster, after his devastating defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. For the remainder of the playoffs, it’s fair to assume Phoenix will be keeping a tight watch on the referee assignments.
Scott Foster and Chris Paul have a long history together.
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Paul has a reputation for getting under his opponents’ skin on the court. He feels that being able to frustrate opponents and pull them out of their games offers him a competitive edge.
CP3 also enjoys working the officials in the hopes of securing a more favorable whistle for his squad. This method may work well in certain cases, but it can also backfire spectacularly in others.
In Foster’s instance, he determined early on that Paul’s antics would not influence the way he officiated games. If Paul challenges calls or disrespects him on the floor, he’s been ready to issue technical fouls. Foster’s officiating has also been criticized by Paul on many occasions.
One of the most interesting rivalries in the NBA is Paul-Foster, and CP3 is fully aware of his dismal playoff record in games refereed by his foe. Last playoffs, after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers for the 11th time in a row with Foster on the call, Paul made sure everyone knew about it.
After the game, Paul told reporters, “They’re shooting a lot of free throws, last night and now.” “If I had to bet, I’d say 11 in a row.” In a row, we’ve won eleven games in a row. “It’s been eleven games in a row.”
The streak has only gotten longer since then.
Chris Paul’s playoff misery continues as he loses for the 14th time in a row against Scott Foster.
Paul entered Tuesday night’s game against the Pelicans with a 13-game losing streak in games refereed by Foster. During that time, he was 0-5 with the Los Angeles Clippers, 0-4 with the Houston Rockets, 0-1 with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and 0-3 with the Suns. Phoenix went 0-2 in Foster-officiated games against the Milwaukee Bucks in last year’s Finals.
When Foster was announced as the crew chief for Tuesday’s game, Paul seemed to be on the verge of ending his losing record against the seasoned official. The Suns were 9.5-point favorites in Game 2 against the Pelicans, who were seeded eighth. Wasn’t this supposed to be the one?
Wrong.
Phoenix was outscored 16 points in the second half and went on to lose Game 2 125-114. Foster, on the other hand, was barely to blame. The Pelicans outrebounded the Suns 43-33 and shot 54.8 percent from the floor from 3 point range. Throughout the game, New Orleans was penalized for more personal fouls than Phoenix.
Even still, the streak continues! In a row, we’ve won fourteen games in a row. It’s been fourteen games in a row…
The most difficult playoff opponent for CP3
NBA referee Scott Foster observes the Phoenix Suns’ Chris Paul | Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Since 2008, Paul has guided his clubs to the playoffs 14 times. He’s appeared in more than 130 playoff games in his career, and he’s lost to Foster more than any other opponent.
Early in his career, CP3 lost 11 playoff games against Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and the San Antonio Spurs, and he’s also lost nine games to Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. However, the point guard is on a 14-game playoff losing run against Foster, and the two will almost certainly meet again this playoffs.
A 55-year-old referee might be the most difficult opponent in Phoenix’s quest for a championship in 2022.
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