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Officiating is constantly under scrutiny in all major sports, but it has been placed directly under the magnifying glass during the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Multiple games had controversial calls attached to them, which many fans believe could have impacted the outcome of the contest. Well, attention is surely going to be on the referee for Friday night's matchup between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks.
With the Mavs' season on the line and the C's on the verge of winning a record 18th title, Scott Foster is the crew chief for Game 4 of the NBA Finals, via ClutchPoints. The longtime official is among the most polarizing in his field, so it is no surprise that fans are buzzing following the league's latest decision.
The public has dubbed Foster “The Extender” due to a pattern of elimination games he officiates being won by the trailing team. Naturally, people are running with this narrative ahead of tip-off.
“Scott Foster ref tonight. Won't be no sweep..see yall in Boston in a few days,” @Audience__of1 posted on X. If the Mavericks can survive, Game 5 will be played in TD Garden on Monday night. While fans insist the NBA is desperate to avoid a sweep, it should be noted that Dallas superstar Luka Doncic does not often make life easy for refs.
There are plenty of key matchups to monitor in Game 4 of these NBA Finals, but eyes will certainly be glued to the dynamic between Foster and the MVP runner-up. “Luka better not be crying all game long,” @0xGonna said.
Meanwhile, the Celtics will have to just focus on playing their best brand of basketball, which, despite a 3-0 lead, has yet to really happen this series. But rest assured, the talk will heavily revolve around the man with the whistle.
Mavs down 0-3
Kyrie hasn’t shown up and Luka fouling out.
Only one man can save them, Scott Foster legacy game incoming
— Mangone (@TravisMangone) June 14, 2024
Scott Foster has made headlines before
Ideally, fans will not have much of a response to the announcement of an officiating crew. This is the age we live in, however. When a whistle does not go the way fans expect or want, they will vividly remember the individual who made it so. Foster's fame, or notoriety depending on who is asked, is amplified due to his interactions with future Hall of Famer Chris Paul.
The 12-time All-Star point guard has openly expressed his displeasure with the referee, and his postseason losing streak with Foster on the court is the stuff of legend. Paul claims that things are “personal” between the two men, stemming from a past situation.
Conversely, Draymond Green, one of the most outspoken and explosive players in the game today, complimented Scott Foster for letting him know where the line is from tip-off. Hopefully, this Celtics-Mavericks showdown will not come down to any controversial fouls or no-calls, as the stakes are too high for both franchises.
Dallas is trying to live to see another day, while Boston seeks sports immortality yet again. The action starts at approximately 8:30 p.m. ET.
