During a recent segment on his Gil’s Arena podcast, former Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas spoke at length about the recent controversy involving Chris Paul and referee Scott Foster. The Warriors’ new superstar was given two technicals in quick succession after he was seen arguing with Foster during the Dubs’ game against the Phoenix Suns. While the first technical was due to a foul, the second one was because Paul continued to complain to the referee.
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Arenas, however, claimed that the situation was effectively beyond the control of Chris Paul, as he was acting emotionally, as players tend to do in the heat of the moment. However, Foster had the responsibility to be calm and composed, considering he was the referee of the game.
Arenas talked about how Paul failed to control his emotions and Foster did too. The three-time All-Star argued that refs shouldn’t be allowed to hold players accountable just for displaying real emotions during the game, “Someone should ask Adam Silver this. If I am a player, I am playing a game that is emotional, I am acting in real time, real human emotions. And when I don’t control my emotions, a ref can give me a technical, which means, whatever I said to him irritated him so bad that he didn’t control his emotions, and he gave me a tech.”
“So, my emotions led to him being emotional but he gets to give me a tech for it, and that’s fine. How?” he added, before talking about how Foster was going to get his dues regardless of how the game went.
Arenas said that NBA games tend to put pressure on players because they have the burden to perform. However, as the referees do not “win or lose,” they should always be calm and collected. “He is supposed to be the most cool and collected motherf***er on here because there is nothing for him. He doesn’t leave here with a win or a loss. Whatever he does, $6000, $3000, whatever he makes, he gets it no matter f*cking what,” Arenas said.
It seems as if Arenas is merely another of a number of NBA analysts and celebrities who have supported Chris Paul in the aftermath of the incident. Paul, who has a poor record in games that Foster has officiated in, later claimed that things were personal between the two. The player now has a 2-18 record in playoff games that Foster has officiated, which is surely concerning considering his overall record.
Stephen Curry believes Chris Paul did not deserve an ejection during Suns loss
CP3’s teammate Stephen Curry is only one of many who believe that he was unfairly ejected by Foster. Curry talked about how both the player and the referee were engaging in the back and forth.
Curry claimed that while players tend to overstep in certain situations, the exchange between the two was not one-sided. Foster himself had been right there from the start which means that a response from Paul should not have warranted a second technical.
Curry claimed that he talked to Foster himself, and also seemed to be trying to calm his teammate down. While it did not work, there is little doubt that the situation could easily have been avoided, by both the parties involved.
