The Love Is Blind Season 9 reunion on October 29 took a hard left from drama to full-on sports comedy when exes Kacie McIntosh and Patrick Suzuki decided to settle their engagement ring feud, with basketballs instead of words. Out of nowhere, NBA legend Chris Paul showed up to referee, instantly turning breakup therapy into a halftime show.The tension was real in the sense that these two broke up right after meeting face to face, and Kacie kept the ring, which Patrick definitely did not love. The hosts, Nick and Vanessa Lachey, leaned into the chaos and suggested a shoot-off since the couple had bonded over basketball in the pods. Chris Paul, clearly living his best cameo life, upped the stakes; the winner keeps the ring. Kacie scored the win and the diamond, proving that sometimes love really is a full-court press.Love is Blind: Kacie and Patrick address the ring dispute and play for it View this post on Instagram Instagram PostBefore any basketball could happen, Kacie and Patrick needed to confront the elephant in the room. The reunion forced them to discuss why she kept the engagement ring after ending their relationship. Kacie maintained that Patrick explicitly told her she could have it. She believed this gave her permission to keep the jewelry as compensation for the failed relationship. Patrick clarified his actual meaning behind those words. During the heated exchange, he explained:"I said you could keep it because I thought we were gonna go back to Denver and try." The misunderstanding stemmed from their final conversation after returning home. Patrick had reached out seeking immediate closure about their status. When Kacie attempted to delay the discussion, he suggested they remain friends instead. Patrick also revealed he requested the friendship route because Kacie couldn't provide honest answers when he pressed for clarity. Her evasiveness convinced him the relationship was truly over.The Lacheys pivoted from the tense conversation by suggesting a more playful resolution on Love Is Blind. They recalled footage of Kacie and Patrick shooting hoops during their pod dates, where Kacie significantly outperformed her former fiancé. Chris Paul entered as the celebrity guest, immediately elevating the segment's energy. The NBA star confessed he regularly watches Love is Blind, making his involvement feel authentic rather than forced.Paul proposed that the stakes should involve the disputed engagement ring itself. The winner takes the diamond, the loser walks away empty-handed. Both Love Is Blind contestants agreed to the terms. The competition consisted of several rounds with Chris officiating. Despite Patrick's efforts to redeem himself, Kacie maintained her superior skills from their pod date. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostKacie emerged victorious after the final shot dropped through the net. True to their agreement, Patrick conceded defeat and allowed her to take back the ring he had just reclaimed moments earlier. The playful resolution seemed to ease some tension between the former couple. Patrick showed good sportsmanship by honoring their deal without complaint.Before the basketball segment began, Kacie had formally apologized to Patrick for how she handled their breakup. She returned the ring through host Nick Lachey in what appeared to be genuine contrition. The competition gave Patrick an opportunity to get the ring back through effort rather than confrontation. His loss meant the jewelry returned to Kacie anyway, completing a bizarre circular journey.How was this received?Social media responses to the basketball segment on Love Is Blind were decidedly negative. Many viewers took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the reunion's producers for including what they saw as unnecessary filler content. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostCritics argued the stunt trivialized the serious emotional issues between Kacie and Patrick on Love Is Blind. Others found Chris Paul's appearance gimmicky rather than entertaining. Despite fan backlash, the basketball face-off unconventionally provided closure. Both participants seemed more at ease after the competition than during their initial confrontation, suggesting the lighthearted approach had merit despite its controversial reception.The Love Is Blind reunion is now streaming on Netflix.