When Scott Foster was named the officiating crew chief for Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Pacers fans were not particularly pleased by the decision. The reason? His reputation of bringing bad luck to teams with leads in a playoff series, which has earned him the infamous nickname “The Extender.” Up 2-1, Indiana supporters feared that Foster’s officiating would lead to OKC levelling the series and taking away their advantage.
So tonight, when the score got too close for comfort and Foster made some controversial decisions in the first half, Pacers fans were quick to call him out. One of the most questionable calls of the half happened when Obi Toppin charged at Alex Caruso during a fast break and intentionally ran through him to stop him from getting easy points. Caruso landed hard on the deck, leading to a heated altercation between both teams.
No doubt it was a foul by Toppin, and a hard one at that. But Foster took it a step further by deeming it a “non-basketball play” and penalizing Obi with a Flagrant 1 foul. He claimed that there was ‘wind up, impact, follow through’ by the Pacers star, fulfilling the criteria of a flagrant. Sure enough, Foster’s decision was met with deafening boos by the Indiana crowd. While Foster’s decision in itself does not seem problematic, the officials let go of a similar play in Game 3 when Aaron Nesmith intentionally pulled down Caruso during a fast break. So, Pacers fans saw a clear contrast between the officiating in Wednesday’s game and tonight.
Frustrated by the call among other decisions, renowned Pacers supporter Pat McAfee notified the NBA about Foster’s controversial officiating. “Hey @NBA… these refs” He tweeted.
Even media veteran Bill Simmons shared a similar sentiment, “I’m glad to be here for the most Scott Fostery game ever.”
I’m glad to be here for the most Scott Fostery game ever.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 14, 2025
(Developing Story)
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