It was no surprise to many watching that Scott Foster opened himself up to criticism for his officiating display in Friday night’s Indiana Pacers-Portland Trail Blazers game. No, Chris Paul wasn’t near the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, but that didn’t stop Foster from being a deterrence in Pascal Siakam’s Pacers debut.
As the Blazers took their largest lead, play-by-play announcer Chris Denari and color analyst Quinn Buckner were at a loss for words when Blazers center Duop Reath took down Myles Turner with what Denari described as a “WWE move.” Foster blew the whistle, but it appeared to be more than just a common foul.
Anyways, the most egregious call came during the same sequence. Siakam was at the top of the key and found Turner down low, immediately drawing every Portland player to the paint. Not only was Turner fouled, but the ball was clearly deflected out of bounds by a member of the Trail Blazers. Foster didn’t see it that way, or at least he didn’t call it that way.
The Indiana Pacers broadcast was letting Scott Foster have it last night.
(H/T @HotHandTheory) pic.twitter.com/qQQN6LQedn
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 20, 2024
Again, Denari and Buckner were at a loss for words. And Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was incredulous as he was looking for a foul.
“Wow,” Denari said.
“Myles, he went up, and he went up through a couple of people, so it had to hit somebody’s arm on the way out of bounds,” added Buckner.
Not according to Foster.
It could be argued that Turner was not fouled when he was down low, as Jabari Walker was at a mismatch. However, that kind of foul is usually called, particularly in a crowded area. On the other hand, it was incorrect to say that Turner turned over the ball in that situation when the ball had clearly deflected off Walker’s hands.
Foster’s questionable officiating decisions throughout the game, culminating in the baffling non-call against Walker, left a bitter taste in the mouths of Pacers fans and analysts alike. Whether intentional or due to missed details, his performance overshadowed Siakam’s debut and added another layer of frustration to the Pacers’ 118-115 loss.
