“Chris Paul don’t play on this team”: Jusuf Nurkic sounds off on Scott Foster’s officiating 

Jusuf Nurkic wasn't impressed with NBA referee Scott Foster after the veteran official's performance during the Phoenix Suns' 123-108 loss to the OKC Thunder on Friday. While there was no free throw disparity, as the Suns had 15 attempts to Thunder's one, Nurkic called out Foster for calling questionable violations.

The Suns' center blamed that for almost half of the 14 turnovers the Suns committed on the night. Nurkic jokingly reminded Foster that Chris Paul isn't on the team anymore, citing the longstanding beef between the referee and veteran point guard.

"Six of them (turnovers) probably as like offensive fouls, travels," Jusuf Nurkic said (via Suns' beat reporters Duane Rankin). "I mean, Scott Foster, respectfully, needs to that Chris Paul don't play on this team no more. I mean, all joking aside, it just, sometimes feels that way."

Chris Paul has a 2-18 record when Scott Foster officiates his games. The former got ejected during the Golden State Warriors' Nov. 22 123-115 loss by Foster after a heated altercation broke out between the two. Paul revealed they've 'personal' issues, citing it's related to his son.

It's no secret that the two reputed NBA personalities dislike each other, especially with Jusuf Nurkic referencing the beef while complaining about Foster.

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Jusuf Nurkic credits OKC Thunder for playing hard amid officiating complaints

Jusuf Nurkic and the Suns felt they weren't as favored by the referees as the Shai Gilegous-Alexander-less Thunder. However, the veteran big didn't entirely blame that for the result. Nurkic commended Thunder's efforts in the game, saying:

"I don't take away from OKC what they did and I give them credit. They played a good game and they're really confident in what they're doing."

Before Nurkic's Chris Paul reference for Scott Foster, coach Frank Vogel called out Lu Dort for 'flopping' ahead of Sunday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

"The league has got to look all the flopping that Lu Dort does cause it's ridiculous how he gets calls," Vogel said (via Suns' beat reporter Duane Rankin).

"If they're going to get calls like that, then you're going to have an advantage. You can't just fall down every time there's contact and get a whistle."

The frustrations seem to boil over for Phoenix as the loss hindered their chance of creating separation from the ninth-placed LA Lakers, who are two games behind Phoenix and had lost their contest against the Indiana Pacers earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, the Suns couldn't close the gap to the sixth-placed Dallas Mavericks, who are 1.5 games ahead, with two fewer losses than Phoenix.