Courtroom Drama and Courtside Tactics: CP3's Ref Rivalry and Popovich's Crowd Control

Catching you up on last night’s NBA narratives

Author

Vikram Dimba
November 23, 2023

Welcome to Hoop’d There It Is - Catching you up on last night’s NBA narratives. Thanksgiving Day special - feels like more a tabloid

Here is the humorous scene set in a courtroom, depicting the notorious rivalry between Chris Paul, in a Warriors #3 jersey, and referee Scott Foster, both without facial hair. The image shows them engaged in a light-hearted argument in front of a judge's bench, capturing the essence of their rivalry with exaggerated expressions and gestures. The courtroom background includes elements like the American flag, a gavel, and legal books. - DALLE3

With that, we'll begin with a Thanksgiving-related question posed to Portland Trailblazers player Shaedon Sharpe.

10/14/2023

Technical Foul or Not, Pop's Attempt to Silence the Crowd Backfires

In a scene straight out of a sports comedy, Spurs legend Gregg Popovich decided to add a twist to the usual game narrative. In an almost theatrical moment, he stood up to interrupt the game alongside the PA announcer to ask the crowd to stop booing Kawhi Leonard when he was at the free throw line stating “this is not what we do.” This, of course, ignited more a symphony of boos from the crowd the rest of the game. After all, those fans paid a lot of money for their right to boo at a game. Also, can I ask why that’s not called a technical foul?

Perhaps this was a 5D chess move by Pop to get the crowd to boo louder. It didn’t really matter — the Spurs lost again dropping to 3-12 on the season.

Personal Vendetta: Chris Paul's Deep-Seated Rift with Scott Foster

In the NBA's most infamous player-referee feud, Chris Paul's latest ejection by Scott Foster adds yet another fiery episode. To catch you up, Paul's track record in playoff games officiated by Foster is a dismal 3-17, dating back to 2008. But this feud isn't just a tally of losses; it's laced with public spats and a deep-seated bitterness.

Chris Paul Ejected

Long-standing rivalry with Scott Foster continues

streamable.com/2twypn

Paul's post-game comments shed light on the personal nature of their conflict. 'It's personal. The league knows it, everyone knows it. We even had a meeting about it. This is about an incident involving my son. I'm fine with a ref talking, but don't throw a tech to make a point,' he expressed. This meeting, involving his father, Doc Rivers, and Bob Delaney, appears to be a significant moment in this ongoing saga. It’s a rare spectacle in sports, where the dynamics between a player and a referee are as well-known as the game itself."

We love bold way-too-early takes

Serious legal trouble lies ahead for Josh Giddey. He trended on Twitter last night due to leaked photos of him with an underage girl. The NBA has a history of handling such incidents with kid gloves, as evidenced by recent cases involving Miles Bridges and Kevin Porter Jr., both of whom faced allegations of domestic abuse during the past two offseasons.

These incidents have prompted fans to question the NBA's likely reaction to Giddey's situation, particularly in light of the organization's history of brushing similar transgressions under the rug.

A prime example is Karl Malone, who impregnated a 13-year-old girl at the age of 20 and yet remains a welcome presence at NBA All-Star events. It's difficult to imagine the NBA taking a strong stance against Giddey, but with the organization facing increased scrutiny, fans are expecting a decisive response, regardless of the legal consequences Giddey may face.

This is a sad and disturbing turn of events for Giddey.

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