Indiana coach Rick Carlisle offered an impassioned and somewhat unprompted defense of referee Scott Foster on Sunday, evidently aware of the mountains of online criticism that came after Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Foster was one of the three on-court referees assigned to Game 4, which had more fouls called and more free throws awarded than any of the three previous games in the series. Foster - who has long been a lightning rod for critics - did not work any of those first three games.
"I think it's awful, some of the things I've seen about the officiating and Scott Foster in particular," Carlisle said. "I've known Scott Foster for 30 years. He's a great official. He's done a great job in these playoffs. We've had him a lot of times."
Foster called 23 personal fouls in the game - 12 on Oklahoma City, 11 on Indiana, with one flagrant on each as well. He also issued double technical fouls, one going to Indiana's Obi Toppin, the other to Oklahoma City's Isaiah Hartenstein.
"We have to do a better job not fouling," Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton acknowledged after Game 4.