Veteran Referee Injured in Knicks' Win Over Heat

The New York Knicks finished their most recent game with only two officials.

Dec 5, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Referee Scott Foster (48) during the second half of a game between the New York Knicks and the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images

Tracy Morgan wasn't the only one to leave Monday night's New York Knicks game early.

After Morgan departed from his Madison Square Garden courtside seat with what waslater revealed to be food poisoning, the Knicks' Monday tilt with the Miami Heat finished with only two officials on the floor.

Fred Katz of The Athletic reported on Tuesday that Scott Foster did not finish the game due to a calf injury and that there is no timetable for his return.

Scott Foster exited last night's Knicks-Heat game early with a calf injury, NBA says. Knicks and Heat played the fourth quarter with only two referees. Haven't received word on a timetable.

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) March 18, 2025

Foster, 57, is one of the Association's longest-tenured officials, closing in on his third decade of work. Monday marked his 123rd career game involving the Knicks, who have now posted a 56-67 record when he is on the whistle.

Despite gaining a somewhat notorious reputation among players, Foster has called 17 editions of the NBA Finals, including last summer's set between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks. In recent Knicks lore, Foster is best known for his quick ejection of Josh Hart during a game in Chicago last April. Hart was tossed for an inadvertent kick of Javonte Green, leading Foster to charge him with a Flagrant One call and an ejection.

"Obviously I’m off balance. My leg is going up before I even look at him,” Hart said at the time, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. "But give credit to Scott Foster for thinking my athletic ability is so great that I was able to make that decision to kick him in a split second.”

With Foster out, Tre Maddox and Evan Scott finished out the game on their own. Their services weren't so necessary in the fourth quarter, which saw the Knicks (43-24) harbor a massive lead after concluding the third period on a 24-6 run. New York won the game by a 116-95 final.

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