Scott Foster was on the receiving end of a lot more than just criticism on Thursday night, as the referee took some major hits from Julius Randle and Lu Dort during a jump ball.
In the early moments of Game 2 of the Wolves–Thunder series, Randle and Dort were in a position to win a possession for their team by competing for a jump ball. Foster happened to be the official in a position to throw the ball up to get things started.
Unfortunately, the referee was caught in the worst position as he took on significant, yet inadvertent, contact from both players. The replay showcased how, after the ball was tossed, Randle managed to kick Foster in the stomach. Meanwhile, Dort made an aggressive swipe at the ball, whiffed on everything, and unintentionally followed through to smack the official in the face.
Lu Dort hits Scott Foster in the nose, making him bleed. pic.twitter.com/YMCXanGEKJ
— League Alerts (@LeagueAlerts) May 23, 2025
Foster, who was doubling over after being kicked, was not prepared for the swipe from the Thunder forward. The result proved to be quite unfortunate as he ended up with a bloody nose and a broken tooth that needed to be tended to.
Lu Dort broke Scott Foster’s tooth. 😳 pic.twitter.com/WqzTMjXvrw
— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) May 23, 2025
Foster doesn’t have the best reputation amongst fans and players. Former Thunder guard Chris Paul, who was courtside for the game, appeared to be cheering after the official headed to the sideline to stop the bleeding.
Chris Paul spotted courtside as this happened ðŸ˜
CP3 really hate Scott Foster LMAO pic.twitter.com/JAOZclRx1H https://t.co/bX86HtA5SM
— Beastbrook (@Beastbr00k0) May 23, 2025
Foster getting hurt was only a small moment in the overall context of the game. But the competitive nature of Randle and Dort is a clear depiction of how physical this series will be.
The Thunder managed to stake their claim on Game 2 with a solid 118-103 win at home. The performance was led by yet another masterclass by the reigning league MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. OKC’s star dropped 38 points on 12-21 FG to go with eight assists on the night.
The MVP was supported by his co-star Jalen Williams, who finally showed out with a solid outing of 26 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists on 12-26 shooting from the field. He played some stellar defense on Thursday night, emphasizing his selection to the NBA’s All-Defensive Team.
Game 2 proved to be a comfortable win for the Thunder as they coasted through the entirety of the game. Although the Wolves made a bit of a comeback in the second quarter, OKC quickly snuffed out any hope of winning with outstanding displays on both ends of the floor.
With a commanding 2-0 lead in the WCF series, OKC looks like they are in complete control of the series. Game 3 proves in Minnesota will prove to be a critical one Timberwolves will need to gather their bearings if they have any hope of keeping their title hopes alive.
