PHOENIX (AP) – Chris Paul’s return to Phoenix ended in the second quarter on Wednesday night after the 12-time All-Star was ejected by his old nemesis: referee Scott Foster.
The Golden State Warriors guard and Foster have a long, acrimonious history, with the point guard complaining about Foster’s officiating for nearly a decade. Now Paul says that a years-old issue that involves his son is at least part of the reason for the friction.
“It’s personal,” Paul said. “We had a situation some years ago and it’s personal. The league knows, everybody knows. There’s been a meeting and all that. It’s just a situation with my son. I’m OK with a ref saying whatever – just don’t use a tech to get your point across.
“I’ve got to do a better job of making sure I’m staying on the floor for my teammates, but that’s that.”
Paul declined to provide additional details of the situation with his son, though he said it happened when he was with the Los Angeles Clippers, who he played for from 2011-17.
The 38-year-old Paul – playing in Phoenix for the first time since being traded from the Suns during the offseason – was ejected with 23.2 seconds left in the second quarter after a long discussion with Foster, which led to his first technical foul.
Foster walked away but Paul kept yelling and the referee quickly turned and gave the point guard another technical, which caused the ejection. The Warriors were already without forward Draymond Green, who was recently suspended five games by the NBA after grabbing Rudy Gobert around the neck.
“I didn’t think Chris deserved to be ejected,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “The first tech? Absolutely. But I thought the second one was unnecessary. Everybody gets frustrated out there, but that’s up to the official.”
Warriors team personnel had to get between Paul and Foster before the guard left the court. Kerr was also assessed a technical by Foster.
Phoenix won 123-115. Golden State has lost seven of its past eight games.
