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[Saba Sports News] Scott Foster became an unexpected casualty of “The Dorture Chamber” during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.
The veteran NBA referee was serving as crew chief for Thursday night’s matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center.
Early in the first quarter, Foster tossed up the jump ball between Minnesota’s Julius Randle and Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort — and things quickly got physical.
As the ball was tipped, Dort’s follow-through caught Foster square in the face with a swinging arm.
The accidental contact left Foster bleeding, prompting a brief stoppage in play as he received attention from the medical staff. He returned shortly after, with gauze stuffed in his nose to stop the bleeding.
Foster, who has officiated in the NBA for over three decades, had only recently returned from a calf injury that sidelined him for more than a month. Thursday’s incident marked another tough — and quite literal — blow in his long officiating career.
Adding a layer of intrigue to the moment was the presence of Chris Paul, who was watching from the stands in Oklahoma City. The 12-time All-Star and former Thunder guard has a famously tense history with Foster, and it’s hard not to imagine he might have cracked a smile at the sight of the bloodied official.