Doc Rivers and Terry Stotts are two of the more even-keeled coaches in the NBA, so it was especially strange to see the them get into a bit of a tiff last night during Trail Blazers and Clippers’ preseason finale.
A little backstory: The Blazers exploded right out of the gate, racking up a 35-point lead in the first half. A meaningless preseason blowout seemed well under way…until the Clippers finally woke up. They cut the lead down to 20 by halftime, then down to single digits by the fourth, and when the final buzzer sounded, the Clippers walked away victorious 115-109.
The teams traded banter and glares throughout the game. C.J. McCollum stared down DeAndre Jordan after Jordan had been barking in his ear, leading to a heated exchange between the pair during a timeout. The Clippers bench got rowdy during their comeback, to the point where Stotts told them to sit down. Rivers took umbrage with Stotts talking to his players, and let him know his feelings on the matter as he approached Portland’s bench.
Both Rivers and Stotts commented on the exchange after the game, per Jason Quick of CSNNW
“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.
“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.”
Stotts, meanwhile, didn’t realize Rivers was shouting at him.
“Was he yelling at me, or the refs?” Stotts said. “He was yelling at the refs most of the night. Um, I don’t know. You will have to ask him.”
Stotts was then asked about the confrontation between Jordan and McCollum, who by the way hugged at halfcourt after the game.“Their bench was standing the entire fourth quarter,” Stotts said. “We’ve been given memos (from the NBA) about keeping the bench down, and I thought they were on the court at times. It was a situation that hopefully doesn’t happen again.”
While Stotts says his frustration was mainly due to the Clippers not adhering to the team memos, it probably didn’t help matters that his team was in the midst of surrendering a 35-point lead. Don’t expect this to build to anything lasting. Heated, combative moments are all part of the game, especially in a game with as many twists and turns as this one.
Stotts probably shouldn’t have yelled at the Clippers’ bench. Rivers probably shouldn’t have yelled at Stotts. This will all be ancient history when these teams meet for the first time in the regular season.
(Via CSNNW)
