Veteran Referee Scott Foster Left Off Game 7 Crew Amid Fan Backlash
Scott Foster, the veteran NBA official who faced heavy criticism from Indiana Pacers fans for his performance in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, will not officiate the decisive Game 7 matchup between the Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Foster was initially expected to be part of the Game 7 officiating team based on the league’s standard referee rotation. However, on Sunday, the NBA announced that the crew would instead be led by James Capers as crew chief, with Josh Tiven serving as referee and Sean Wright as the umpire.
Foster, one of the NBA’s most experienced referees with 25 Finals appearances to his name, was at the center of controversy after Game 4. That game saw a staggering 71 free throws taken — 38 of them by Oklahoma City — which sparked outrage among fans and online critics, particularly from the Indiana side.
Despite the outcry, the NBA’s Last Two-Minute Report — which reviews officiating accuracy in the final minutes of close games — evaluated 17 critical plays and determined that all were either “correct calls” or “correct no-calls.”
The situation escalated to the point that Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle publicly defended Foster, calling the attacks on the veteran official “unjust” and “ridiculous.”
“I’ve known Scott Foster for 30 years,” Carlisle said during a media availability on June 15. “He is one of the best in the business. The criticism he’s received has been completely unfair and, frankly, stupid. We’ve had him many times, and he’s done an excellent job throughout the playoffs.”
Despite the earlier officiating drama, the Pacers managed to bounce back in Game 6, overpowering the Thunder 108-91 in Indianapolis to tie the series and force a Game 7. The final showdown will determine who takes home the 2025 NBA championship — but Foster will be watching from the sidelines.
