Doc Rivers must have a bunch of money burning a hole in his pocket right now. Because after the Clippers lost to the Spurs 111-107 last night to fall behind 3-2 in their best-of-7 playoff series, Rivers ripped the game's referees during his press conference with reporters and pretty much ensured that the league is going to fine him at least $25,000.
Rivers wasn't vague with the media, either. He came right out and listed a number of "brutal calls" that he didn't like and basically said that he thought the refs helped determine the outcome of the game.
"I don't complain much," he said. "I thought we got some really tough calls tonight, some brutal calls. The travel on Blake [Griffin], the goaltend on Matt [Barnes], which wasn't a goaltend. You think about the playoffs, and they're single-possession games. Those possessions, those were crucial. J.J. [Redick]'s foul that got him out, J.J. didn't touch anyone. It's not why we lost, but those were big plays for us."
And as if all of that wasn't enough, Rivers continued, just to make sure the NBA heard him loud and clear.
"I don't know," he said. "It's just—listen, the refs are trying hard, too, but God darn. Even Chris [Paul]'s tech, I still don't have the explanation for that, and I want to find that out because when they make a shot, you have to throw it to the ref to get the ball back, and he got a tech for it. I'm just not sure of some things."
Wow. So by our count, that's one, two, three, four plays that Rivers complained about. Do you think the NBA will fine him for each complaint or just bundle them all together and hand him one big hefty fine? Either way, this tweet pretty much summed up Rivers' night:
Rivers should definitely pull a Rick Carlisle after Game 6 of the Clippers/Spurs series and tape his mouth shut, unless he enjoys giving his money away to the NBA.
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[via ESPN Los Angeles]
