Every remaining game in the 2022-23 NBA season is extremely important for the Los Angeles Lakers. Making even a single mistake can have a catastrophic impact on the team’s hopes of advancing to the postseason.
Fortunately, the Lakers did not make such mistakes against the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers registered a comfortable 122-111 win behind a strong performance by D’Angelo Russell. Speaking of Russell, the guard issued a warning to his teammates during a timeout in the fourth quarter regarding referee Scott Foster.
D’Angelo Russell: “Scott Foster reffing y'all…Scott Foster!”pic.twitter.com/Tgd7RqlzaQ
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) March 23, 2023
At the time, the Lakers were up by 9 points. Considering Foster has a notorious reputation, many believe that Russell was issuing a warning to his teammates to be careful.
But on the other hand, Russell could also be poking fun at the Phoenix Suns due to the free-throw disparity between the two teams.
Chris Paul And Scott Foster Have A Long History
Chris Paul was kept relatively quiet by the Los Angeles Lakers in their most recent matchup. It played a crucial role in helping the team win the game and improve its record to 36-37, and jumping to the 10th seed in the Western Conference.
One of the biggest reasons behind the Suns’ defeat against the Lakers was the free-throw disparity between the two teams. The Purple and Gold attempted 46 free-throws, while the Suns had just 20 attempts from the free-throw line.
Many believe the reason behind it was none other than the presence of Scott Foster. Paul has never been shy about throwing shade at Foster for referring unfairly in games.
There may be some truth to Paul’s claims. In his career, Paul has lost 14 straight playoff games when Scott Foster officiated. Keeping that in mind, Russell’s hot mic moment could very well have been a jab at CP3 and Foster’s fractured relationship.
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