Referees Picked By The NBA For Game 7 Are James Capers, Josh Tiven, Sean Wright
James Capers, Josh Tiven, and Sean Wright joined a very small club on Sunday. Capers, Tiven, and Wright were announced by the NBA as the officiating crew for Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers.
It's the first Game 7 of a finals for all three, who are now the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th referees in NBA history to land such an assignment. 'Being selected to work the NBA Finals is the top honor as an NBA official,' Byron Spruell, the NBA's president of league operations, said earlier this month when the 12-person list of finals referees was revealed. 'And Game 7, one would think, is the top of the top honors.'
Scott Foster, a two-time Game 7 finals referee and generally considered one of the best in the game, was not picked for the crew. Had he been, he would have become the seventh referee picked to work at least three Game 7s in the title series. The referees in NBA history who have worked that many are Mendy Rudolph (six), Earl Strom (five), Sid Borgia (four), Dan Crawford (three), Joe Crawford (three), and Richie Powers (three).
Foster–who is frequently criticized online by fans–was defended by Indiana coach Rick Carlisle after Game 4, notable because it was a game that the Pacers lost. 'As far as officiating, I think it's awful, some of the things I've seen about the officiating and Scott Foster in particular,' Carlisle said before Game 5. 'I've known Scott Foster for 30 years. He is a great official. He has done a great job in these playoffs. We've had him a lot of times. The ridiculous scrutiny that is being thrown out there is terrible and unfair and unjust and stupid.'
The NBA had 75 full-time officials this season, and 36 of those were selected to work the first round of the playoffs. The officiating roster is further trimmed going into each playoff round, with the league's referee operations management team determining who should advance.
Capers is working his 13th finals, Tiven his sixth, and Wright is in the finals for only the second time. It's the second game of these finals for all three referees–Capers worked Indiana's win in Game 3, while Wright and Tiven were both on the crew for Oklahoma City's win in Game 4.
James Williams, who worked Games 2 and 5 of the series, was picked as the alternate for Game 7. David Guthrie, who officiated Games 1 and 6, was the referee assigned to the replay center in Secaucus, New Jersey, for Game 7.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault addressed officiating–and how he and his team respect referees–from a general perspective Saturday when asked how his team has avoided being called for very many technical fouls this season. 'The outcome of the game and the context of the game is outside of our control,' Daigneault said. 'In between the lines is inside our control. The referees (are) in that category too. We can't control how they call the game and what they put a whistle on and what they don't. We can control a lot of other things in the game, and that's what we need to focus on.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
23 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
US Ryder Cup Captain Zach Johnson wins the Travelers Championship. Lee and Jimenez take major titles
Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley rallied from three shots behind with four holes to play and birdied the 18th hole before a delirious home crowd Sunday for a 2-under 68 to win the Travelers Championship. The victory only strengthened the case for Bradley to bring his clubs to Bethpage Black for the September matches against Europe. He moved to No. 9 in the standings. And he wound up beating Tommy Fleetwood, who scored the clinching point for Europe at Marco Simone two years ago. One shot behind Fleetwood going to the 18th hole, Bradley stuffed his approach to just under 6 feet below the hole. Fleetwood, looking like this might be the time he wins a PGA Tour title, came up some 50 feet short and took three putts for bogey and a 72. Bradley kept his feet planted when the putt dropped and shook his fist. New England's favorite son delivered a stunner at the TPC River Highlands, capping off the finish in oppressive heat with a 35-foot birdie putt on the 15th and the 6-footer at the end. It was crushing for Fleetwood, the 34-year-old from England, who has built a reputable record around the world but is 0 for 84 in regular PGA Tour events. Russell Henley chipped in from across the 18th green for birdie and a 69 to join Fleetwood one shot behind. Henley called a one-shot penalty on himself in the second round when he saw his golf ball move the length of a dimple as he was playing a chip. Bradley finished at 15-under 265 and won $3.6 million for his first title in a signature event. He also won the BMW Championship, the second FedEx Cup playoff event last August at Cherry Hills outside Denver. Minjee Lee closed with a 2-over 74 but never gave up the lead in the final round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship to win her third major title. While Lee had three bogeys in a four-hole stretch on the front nine, she had started the day with a four-stroke lead over Jeeno Thitikul. And the world's No. 2-ranked player, also in that final group, bogeyed both par 5s that are among the first three holes on Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco. Lee, ranked 24th, finished at 4-under 284, three strokes ahead of Auston Kim and Chanettee Wannasaen, the only other players under par. Kim and Wannasaen both shot 68 to match the best rounds of the day and the tournament after only two 68s combined the first three rounds. With a record $12 million purse that was up from $10.4 million a year ago and matched the US Women's Open for the most prize money, Lee took home $1.8 million. That matches the $1.8 million Lee got for her four-stroke win in the 2022 US Women's Open. The 29-year-old Australian, who is a Texas resident living in nearby Irving, got her 11th career win. It was her first this season, making it 16 players to win 16 LPGA tournaments this year. Miguel Angel Jimenez won the Kaulig Companies Championship for his fourth PGA Tour Champions victory of the season, rallying to force a playoff and beating Steven Alker with a 20-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole. Two strokes down after playing partner Alker birdied the par-5 16th, Jimenez made a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-4 17th and an 18-footer on the par-4 18th. Tied for the lead entering the round at Firestone South, the 61-year-old Jimenez and 53-year-old Alker each shot 2-under 68 to finish at 10-under 270. Stewart Cink was third at 8 under after a 66. Jimenez won his third major title after taking the Regions Tradition and the Senior British Open–both in 2018–and earned a spot next year in The Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass. The Spanish star has 17 career victories on the 50-and-over tour. The US Senior Open begins Thursday at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Myles Creighton of Canada won the Wichita Open a day after shooting an 11-under 59, closing with a 68 for a one-stroke victory over Emilio Gonzalez. Creighton won his second Korn Ferry Tour title, finishing at 17-under 263 at Crestview Country Club. On Saturday, he became the 15th player in tour history to shoot a sub-60 round and the second of the week. Gonzalez finished with a 66. Adrien Dumont de Chassart opened with a 59. He closed with a 65 to tie for fifth at 13 under. Casandra Alexandra made eagle on the last hole to close out a 10-under 62, giving the South African a two-shot victory in the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open on the Ladies European Tour. James Morrison won his first Challenge Tour title in more than 10 years when he closed with an even-par 70 and beat Max Kennedy with a par on the first playoff hole to win the Blot Play9 in France. Hibiki Iriya closed with an even-par 72 and sailed to a four-shot victory in the Nichirei Ladies on the Japan LPGA. Seunghui Ro rallied with a 6-under 66 and then defeated Dayeon Lee (72) with a birdie on the first playoff hole to win The Heaven Masters on the Korea LPGA. Melanie Green won the Island Resort Championship in Harris, Michigan, for her first Epson Tour title, closing with a 7-under 65 for a two-stroke victory over Kate Smith-Stroh. Green finished at 14-under 202 at Sweetgrass.
Al Arabiya
37 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Kenan Yildiz Scores Twice in Juventus' 4-1 Win in Club World Cup
Kenan Yildiz scored two goals in Juventus' 4–1 win over Wydad in the Club World Cup on Sunday. The victory clinched a spot in the elimination round of the tournament for Juventus. In the sixth minute, Juventus took the lead as defender Abdelmounaim Boutouil deflected a shot attempt by Yildiz into the back of Wydad's net. Ten minutes later, Yildiz showed up again in front of the 31,975 fans in Lincoln Financial Field – less than half the stadium's capacity – to double Juventus' lead with a powerful volley into the top right corner. Wydad made it 2–1 in the 25th minute after a pass from team captain Nordin Amrabat left Thembinkosi Lorch one-on-one with Michele Di Gregorio, who wasn't able to stop Lorch's chip shot. Following the goal, the referee paused the match after Wydad's supporters threw three flares onto the field and set off red and black smoke in the stands that affected visibility on the field. The four-minute pause also served as a hydration break for the players as temperatures in Philadelphia reached 89 degrees in the first half. With his second goal of the game, Yildiz secured the win for Juventus in the 69th minute after an assist by Randal Kolo Muani. In stoppage time, Dusan Vlahovic added a goal after converting a penalty kick. Vlahovic's score in the 94th minute was key to make Juventus' goal differential better ahead of a tough match against Manchester City for the lead in Group G. Juventus is through to the round of 16 of the Club World Cup. They will play Manchester City next Thursday to determine the leader of Group G. With the loss, Wydad is eliminated from the tournament. They will face Al Ain in a battle for third place in the group.
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Gündogan has two goals, Haaland scores as Man City routs Al Ain 6-0 at the Club World Cup
ATLANTA: lkay Gündogan had a pair of goals, Erling Haaland scored on a penalty and Manchester City locked up its spot in the knockout round of the Club World Cup with a 6-0 rout of Al Ain on Sunday night. Claudio Echeverri, Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki also scored for City, which is trying to put an encouraging capper on a disappointing season. The English powerhouse finished third in the Premier League after four straight championships and went down to Real Madrid in the knockout playoff of the UEFA Champions League. With an entirely new lineup after a 2-0 win over Morocco's Wydad in the group opener, Man City produced a dominating performance in Atlanta against an overmatched club from the United Arab Emirates. The time of possession was a staggering 74 percent in favor of the English side, which outshot Al Ain 21-5. Haaland buried the penalty for his 32nd goal of the season across all competitions after a video review found that Rami Rabia took down City's Manuel Akanji in the area on a corner kick. Cherki, one of City's high-profile signings, scored his first goal for his new club in the waning minutes. The expected result sent Man City and Italian club Juventus (both 2-0-0) to the Round of 16 from Group G. Al Ain has been blown out twice, losing 5-0 to Juventus in its opener. Manchester City is the reigning club champion, winning the title in 2023 under the former seven-team format. Key moment After Gündogan flicked in an early goal over the head of keeper Khalid Eisa, Echeverri assured this would be an easy night for City in the 27th minute. With a free kick from just outside the area, he curled a shot over the wall that left Eisa frozen on one knee while the ball ripped the back of the net. Takeaways Man City will face Juventus on Thursday in Orlando to determine which team claims the top spot in the group. Then the real work begins. They said it 'We played a little bit better than the first game, especially in the second half, but still there are a few things you have to improve.' — Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola. 'We know where our level is, but you cannot be happy ... because against this team, you must be disciplined from the first until the last second of the game.' — Al Ain coach Vladimir Ivić.
