The LA Clippers were devastated following a 111-107 home loss in Game 5 against the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, and head coach Doc Rivers’ critical comments of the officiating crew proved costly:
“I don’t complain much,” Rivers said after the game. “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 were crucial. J.J. (Redick’s) foul that got him (fouled) out, J.J. didn’t touch anyone. It’s not why we lost, but those were big plays for us.”
Rivers was slapped by the L with a $25K fine, it was announced Wednesday afternoon.
For what it’s worth, Doc thought the pivotal offensive interference call on DeAndre Jordan was absolutely correct.
Per the LA Times:
“It was a good call,” Rivers said to a small gathering of reporters Wednesday at the team’s hotel in San Antonio. “It was. Great call. I just felt like it needed to be said.”
They lost Game 5 after DeAndre Jordan was called for basket interference, wiping out a basket by Blake Griffin that would have given the Clippers a one-point lead with 4.9 seconds left.
The Clippers have to respond, just as they did after getting blown out in Game 3 and winning Game 4. […] “We’ll be ready for (Game 6),” Rivers said. “I think our guys have been very resilient all year. And I would be very surprised if we weren’t ready to play a great Game 6.”
