Miami Heat fans seem thrilled that Scott Foster will be one of the officials when the Heat take on the Denver Nuggets in an attempt to even the NBA Finals in Game 4 at Miami on Friday night.
The extender got us today🤞🤞
— Sox in 6 (64-58) (@BamADPOYO) June 9, 2023
Thank you Jesus !!!
— J (@justinshoc) June 9, 2023
https://twitter.com/glenz_27/status/1667156298226626560
First time we are on the extenders side of the whistle, hopefully he pulls through
— TrappyPoo (@TrapPoIice) June 9, 2023
Well he is the extender so I'm glad he's on our side today 😁 besides no way it can be worst than what we saw on Wednesday
— stickybun (@stickybunnn) June 9, 2023
LAST TIME WE HAD A MUST WIN GAME IT WAS SCOTT FOSTER BABY LETS GOO
— Julian (@LeeonPhelps) June 9, 2023
Twitter was ablaze with Miami fans cheering the news that the referee known as “The Extender” will be a key part of the game on Friday. Foster has earned that nickname due to the perception that when he is involved in a best-of-seven NBA playoff series, it will get extended toward its limit.
The Heat fell behind 2-1 in the Finals when they lost Game 3 at home 109-94 on Wednesday. Denver won Game 1 at home before Miami responded with a Game 2 victory on the road.
As they have throughout the playoffs, the Heat will have to answer the bell again. Miami won Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics after losing three games in a row. Foster was one of the officials for the deciding game at Boston, a 103-84 Miami win that kept it from becoming the first NBA team to lose a best-of-seven series after taking a 3-0 lead.
Heat star Jimmy Butler said they feel good about themselves despite trailing in the Finals and claimed their lack of energy and effort in Game 3 is correctable. Improved play from Caleb Martin also would be helpful, with the forward struggling following an excellent performance in the conference finals.
Foster recently was voted the worst referee in the NBA in a poll of players released by The Athletic, and it wasn’t even close. Foster has been the subject of much public criticism, but Sam Amick and Josh Robbins of The Athletic wrote that Foster is consistently one of the league’s highest rated referees.
This is Foster’s first game of these Finals and will be the 24th of his NBA career. Game 5 of the series is at Denver on Monday, and Miami certainly doesn’t want to go back there possibly facing the end of this magical playoff run.
Perhaps Foster will be able to live up to his reputation and ensure that the series is extended to at least Game 6 at Miami on Thursday.
