Chris Paul and Doc Rivers (Photo : Getty Images Sport)
Are the Los Angeles Clippers fast becoming the NBA's most hated team?
If hatred would be fuel for a basketball team, the Los Angeles Clippers would be blazing hot. And that's what happened when the Clippers defiantly overcame a 35 point deficit in a pre-season game against the Portland Trail Blazers. The incident according to CSN Northwest:
"The disagreement stemmed from the Clippers' enthusiasm during a comeback from a 35-point first-half deficit. As they continued to trim the lead, more and more Clippers players began standing on the sideline. At one point, DeAndre Jordan stood in front of the bench with a towel around his neck, and craned his mouth into the ear of Blazers guard CJ McCollum."
On his part, Rivers also stood up for his players.
"I have a lot of respect for Terry,'' Rivers said. "I just don't think you ever talk to the other team's players, and that's what I told him. In the first half, when they were rolling and their players were jumping up, throwing towels, I sat there and took it.
He added: "So, when our guys got excited - I just think if you have a problem with the other team's players on the floor celebrating or whatever, you just talk to the ref, and he tells them,'' Rivers said. "I don't think it's your job. That's what I was telling him. Maybe not that way ... I should have done it better.''
But it's not just on the court, as ex-Clipper Matt Barnes had strong words for his former coach in an interview with NBA.com.
"Doc never wanted me," Barnes said. "He couldn't wait to get rid of me. Doc and I never saw eye to eye. He tried to get me out of there the second he got there, so it wasn't too surprising to me what happened when things went south."
It would be interesting to see an angry Matt Barnes match up against equally fiery newcomers at the Clippers like Paul Pierce and Lance Stephenson, not to mention that Clippers-Grizzlies rivalry is already bitter as it is.
With the recent accusations from the Warriors that the Clippers are whiners and these incidents, the Clippers are starting to become the most notorious team in the league. Are these part of Rivers' master plan to motivate his players?
