Suns-Bucks NBA Finals: Bobby Portis blocks Chris Paul from complaining to ref Scott Foster in Game 6

Typically, opposing players are fine when someone wants to complain to an official. They welcome the idea of an opponent picking up an unnecessary technical foul. But in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis took the opposite approach. When he saw Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul was about to go over to official Scott Foster and complain about an out of bounds call, he blocked him from doing so. 

Paul has a notoriously contentious relationship with Foster. He is 0-12 in his last 12 playoff games that Foster has officiated, including Game 3 of the NBA Finals. He has publicly grumbled about Foster as well, so their issues are very well known. 

Whether Portis was actually preventing Paul from approaching Foster or simply had his own beef with Paul, who bothers opposing players frequently, is not fully clear, but regardless of intent, Paul owes Portis a thank you. In such a close Finals game, Portis may have prevented Paul from picking up a technical foul that could have had a real impact on the game’s outcome. Ironically, Portis picked up a technical foul later in the fourth quarter himself after running down the floor following a foul call, but Paul missed the shot. The basketball gods balanced it out.