Noted Rockets' Hater Scott Foster is Officiating Game 2, Thus Increasing the Odds That It's More Soap Opera Than Sporting Event

Veteran official Scott Foster has been assigned to Warriors-Rockets tonight.

Chris Paul, James Harden & Rockets have a long-running feud with Foster. He hasn’t worked a Rockets game since February, when Harden was fined for criticizing him after fouling out of a game in LA.

— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) April 30, 2019

Playoff referee assignments are preset for first 4 games of each series. Scott Foster hadn’t worked in second round yet, he was scheduled for Game 2 several days ago. Was not a reaction by league to Rockets complaints.

Even some Rockets knew this was likely over last couple days

— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) April 30, 2019

To be honest, I'm having a really tough time deciding whether I love or hate this news. On one hand, as someone who loves the 'Days of Our Lives'-type dramatics of the NBA, you'd think I would appreciate inserting an official whose presence might as well be a powder keg into a series that has already seen the referees raked over the coals by the Rockets. After all, if you also like that the league often operates as a soap opera then tonight's game is a must watch due solely to the amount of antagonistic personalities playing a part in it.  

On the other hand, as someone who realizes that this is probably the most entertaining basketball matchup this postseason possesses, I'm downright fearful of the volume being turned up on an amount of whining over whistles that would have the teacher of a cranky kindergarten class at her wit's end as is. Considering James Harden's flagrant flopping and CP3's motormouth, Scott Foster probably has just as much reason to hate them as they hate him. That said, if he inserts himself into tonight's contest in a way that at all increases the obnoxious officiating angle that's already reared its ugly head and began running amok then we're well on our way to a great series being ruined by factors outside of the actual sport presumably being played at its peak level. 

I genuinely believe that the postgame moaning and groaning was more intended at leveraging some more fortuitous calls in the very near future. However, if there's one person that can pour gasoline on what quickly became a flammable situation and add another spark to a heated rivalry then it's the head referee of a absolutely pivotal Game 2. So, here's to hoping Scott Foster either suppresses the urge to make tonight all about him...or at least puts forth a performance worthy of a reality TV show in causing the type of chaos that makes everyone forget their supposed to be watching the highest quality of competition between some of the world's most remarkable athletes. ​