Chris Paul’s unceremonious first-half ejection was the prevailing storyline from the Warriors’ 123-115 road loss to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.
After the game, Steph Curry described the exchange between his Warriors teammate and NBA referee Scott Foster that bothered him, citing the two’s well-documented history.
“I mean, I think we were already down to double digits. We needed to [Chris Paul] And his leadership and the way he manages the game,” Curry told reporters after Wednesday’s loss. [Paul] Talked about it, but when both the player and the ref are involved in the conversation, it needs to be there. I told Scott [Foster] After he kicked him out.
“It’s like … there’s situations where players overstep; that happens a lot. You know you’re supposed to back off, but when the two are involved, I don’t like it. That’s what confuses me. Most people see that. Like two guys talking, talking their truths. We Let’s play basketball.”
Steve Kerr was disappointed by Foster’s decision to eject Paul, and the Warriors coach also expressed frustration at the resulting technical foul.
Kerr later explained why he adamantly disapproved of Foster’s decision to throw away the milk.
“Well, I don’t think Chris deserves to be fired,” Kerr explained to reporters. “The first technical, absolutely. But the second one I thought was unnecessary. I mean, everybody gets frustrated out there. But it’s the official’s decision.”
Kerr shared Foster’s reasoning for assessing Paul the second technical error that triggered the automatic ejection.
“I think Scott felt that Chris didn’t stop and he kept going, so that’s why he gave him the second one,” Kerr said. “That’s his interpretation.”
For a Warriors team already without Draymond Green, Ball’s loss significantly reduced their chances of leaving the Arizona desert with a win. Curry and the Warriors’ starters struggled to find a consistent rhythm throughout the game, facing double-digit deficits in the second half before Golden State’s bench unit made a late-game charge to cut Phoenix’s lead to single digits.
Following the emotional loss, the Warriors will soon turn their attention to Friday night’s NBA in-season showdown with the San Antonio Spurs at the Chase Center.
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