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Chris Paul, referee Scott Foster meet again with Phoenix Suns down 0-1 to L.A. Clippers

Longtime NBA referee Scott Foster will be the crew chief for Tuesday night’s Suns-Clippers Game 2 at Footprint Center with Phoenix down 0-1 in the best-of-7 series.

Why does that matter?

Suns point guard Chris Paul has lost the last 13 playoff games he’s played when Foster has been a referee in those games. The last one came in last year’s Game 2 of Phoenix’s first-round Western Conference series against the Pelicans.

New Orleans won Game 2 to even the series, 1-1. The top overall seed, Phoenix won the series in six.

  • 4-19-2022 Game 2 Suns-Pelicans (L, 125-114).

  • 7-20-2021 Game 6 Suns-Bucks (L, 105-98).

  • 7-11-2021 Game 3 Suns-Bucks (L, 120-100).

  • 5-27-2021 Game 3 Suns-Lakers (L, 109-95).

  • 9-2-2020 Game 7 Thunder-Rockets (L, 104-102).

  • 4-30-2019 Game 2 Rockets-Warriors (L, 115-109).

  • 5-14-2018 Game 1 Rockets-Warriors (L, 119-106).

  • 5-2-2018 Game 2 Rockets-Jazz (L, 116-108).

  • 4-25-2017 Game 5 Clippers-Jazz (L, 96-92).

  • 4-23-2016 Game 3 Clippers-Blazers (L, 96-88).

  • 5-14-2015 Game 6 Clippers-Rockets (L, 119-107).

  • 4-28-2015 Game 5 Clippers-Spurs (L, 111-107).

  • 5-9-2014 Game 3 Clippers-Thunder (L, 118-112).

Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) questions a call by referee Scott Foster (48) during Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on July 20, 2021.
Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) questions a call by referee Scott Foster (48) during Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on July 20, 2021.

Paul’s last win in a game he played with Foster as a referee was in 2013 while playing for the Clippers. Los Angeles beat the Grizzlies, 112-91, on April 20, 2013, in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series.

Memphis dropped Game 2 before winning four straight to take the series in six.

Paul is 2-17 in playoff games with Foster officiating, and 70-54 in playoff games Foster didn't officiate.

The Suns dropped Game 1 Sunday to the Clippers, 115-110, at home. They are the fourth seed in this series.

Game 3 is Thursday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Suns vs. Clippers series news, notes: How worried should Phoenix fans be after Game 1 loss?

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Chris Paul, referee Scott Foster meet again in Suns-Clippers Game 2