In Oklahoma City on Sunday, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle came forward with a staunch defense of referee Scott Foster, driven by the flood of criticism circulating online following Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Foster, known for attracting critics, officiated Game 4 alongside two other referees. This game saw more fouls and free throws than the previous games, a point that added fuel to online debates.
Carlisle, familiar with Foster for three decades, spoke highly of his officiating prowess, noting, “I think it’s awful, some of the things I’ve seen about the officiating and Scott Foster in particular. He’s a great official. He’s done a great job in these playoffs. We’ve had him a lot of times.”
In Game 4, Foster’s decisions were closely scrutinized, with 23 personal fouls called—12 against Oklahoma City and 11 against Indiana. Both teams faced a flagrant foul call and a double technical, which involved Indiana’s Obi Toppin and Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Hartenstein. Tyrese Haliburton from the Pacers admitted, “We have to do a better job not fouling,” post-game.
The heightened attention around Foster comes from his long-standing experience; he’s worked 26 finals games—more than any active referee—and overseen 262 playoff matches. Whenever Foster is announced to officiate, critics are quick to express their opinions, often immediately after the league releases referee lineups for the day.
Although the NBA does not publicly share its referee ranking system, Foster’s presence in 18 finals suggests high standing within the organization. Despite Carlisle being on the losing side in Game 4, he still believed it necessary to defend Foster, remarking, “The ridiculous scrutiny that’s being thrown out there is terrible and unfair and unjust and stupid.”
Carlisle’s comments emerged while responding to questions about the Pacers’ performance, notably their faltering 10-point lead and being outscored 31-17 in the fourth quarter. He recognized the intensity of playoff basketball, stating, “Tough losses are a part of a playoff series. It’s just if this was easy, they would be pulling people off the street to play in the NBA Finals and coach. You guys are the best in the world.” Carlisle emphasized that the games are challenging, demanding introspection to identify areas needing improvement.
In the finals series, Foster is one of 12 referees assigned, each working one of the first four games. The NBA then decides who will officiate the subsequent games, up to Game 7 if the series extends that far. Should Foster not work Game 6, there’s a strong possibility he’ll oversee Game 7, if played.