[From ESPN]

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Veteran NBA official Scott Foster was not selected as one of the three referees for Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers on Sunday night.

The referees who were selected to officiate the first Finals Game 7 since 2016 -- and just the ninth since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976 -- were James Capers, Josh Tiven and Sean Wright, with James Williams serving as an alternate.

Foster, who has worked more Finals series (18) and games (26) than any of the 12 referees selected to officiate the series by the NBA, had been expected to be chosen to not only officiate this game but also likely to serve as its crew chief -- the role he held for his lone appearance during these Finals in Game 4 in Indiana on June 13.

After a lot of online discussion -- particularly among Pacers fans -- about the officiating in that Thunder win and about Foster specifically, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle went out of his way to defend Foster prior to Game 5.

Read more of ESPN's story HERE