NEW YORK (AP) – Doc Rivers had something to say and wanted to make sure he was close enough to be heard.
Too close, according to NBA rules.
Rivers was given a technical foul for crossing over midcourt, then another and ejected for his tirade that followed in the Los Angeles Clippers’ 127-122 loss in double overtime to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night.
The Clippers trailed by two late in the first OT and fouled Nets rookie Isaiah Whitehead in the backcourt after he received the inbounds pass. Rivers appeared to think Whitehead swung his elbows and should have been called for the foul, and walked nearly to the Nets’ bench to say something to referee Lauren Holtkamp.
Rivers said they weren’t even arguing, and that Holtkamp had agreed with what Rivers said. But Mauer, who was standing on the Clippers’ side of the court, called what Rivers said was an “awful” tech.