Doc Rivers goes ballistic and needs to be restrained after getting tossed in overtime
Doc Rivers was probably in a testy mood before the Los Angeles Clippers faced the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. His team had lost two in a row and wouldn't have Blake Griffin, who was given a rest day.
Rivers’ patience was tested even further late in overtime. With the Clippers trailing by two and 19 seconds left in the extra period, Rivers was ejected for arguing a foul call that would send the Nets to the free-throw line, potentially putting the game out of reach.
Rivers couldn’t believe he was tossed and needed to be restrained by a number of players and coaches as he continued to yell at official Ken Mauer.
Rivers said after the game that he disagreed with Mauer’s decision, adding that Mauer didn’t fully understand the situation.
“I thought it was an awful tech,” Rivers said. “I think you guys know why the tech was called. The official, who had nothing to do with the play, thought I was yelling at Lauren [Holtkamp] and I wasn’t. We weren’t.
“She said I was right and let’s walk back. We weren’t even arguing. It was the damnedest tech to give at that time.”
Mauer told a pool reporter after the game that Rivers was assessed his first technical for crossing midcourt, then went into further detail about the second technical that ultimately ended Rivers’ night.
“Watch the tape,” Mauer told the reporter. “Behavior, language warrants a second technical foul. Warranted an ejection after getting a first technical foul.”
The Clippers did push the game to a second overtime after the Nets missed three of the four free throws that would have put the game out of reach and Jamal Crawford hit a three to tie the score. But Los Angeles eventually lost 127-122, suffering its third consecutive loss.
Doc Rivers may have been mad here. Hard to tell. pic.twitter.com/qefaBO7Gpz
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 30, 2016
