Chris Paul fouled out with 8:58 minutes remaining in Sunday’s Game 4 between the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks.
Fans don’t like the ticky-tack call that gave him the boot.
The controversial play saw veteran point guard momentarily grabbed Jalen Brunson’s arm on a loose ball. While he quickly withdrew and put up his arms, the officials still called Paul for his sixth foul.
Frustrated viewers don’t think the All-Star should have been removed from a pivotal postseason contest on a play with such minimal contact.
As Richard Jefferson noted on the ESPN broadcast, it probably was a foul by the letter of the law. However, most fans would rather see a star player on the court in crunch time rather than the strict enforcement of such calls.
Paul finished the game with five points, five rebounds, and seven assists in 23 minutes.
Dallas tied the series at 2-2 with a 111-101 win behind 26 points from Luca Doncic and 24 from Dorian Finney-Smith. The second-round series will go back to Phoenix on Tuesday night for a monumental Game 5.