Doc Rivers fires at Kristaps Porzingis, Marcus Morris, the latter baited him into execution
Tensions between the LA Clippers of Doc Rivers and Dallas Mavericks of Kristaps Porzingis begin to heat up just one game into their first round playoff series.
Porzingis was ejected between the Clippers and Mavs from Monday night's Game 1, after picking up a second technical foul in an altercation with Marcus Morris. Porzingis explained his side of the technicalals after the 118-110 loss.
"I understand that we got into it a little bit and I saw him get into the face of Luka and I didn't like that," Porzingis said after the game. "That is why I have responded. That's a clever thing to do on their part and next time I just have to be cleverer and manage my emotions , especially on the first. I understand the second one, but the first one even though I think it was a clean block and they're probably going to call the tech every time to throw hands so I just have to be careful and not let my emotions get stronger.
The 7-foot-2 Latvian then appeared to take some jab on 'other guys' of the Clippers, claiming it was their job to get into the heads of the opponents.
"They gave us cause," continued Porzingis. "They insulted us, and I in particular. I should have been cleverer. I had a professional one already, which I didn't even have in mind. I wasn't, really, in this situation. It was good to grab Luka kind of, to get into his ear, to get a reaction from me. They have essentially got what they were looking for. I just needed to learn from that.
"What they do is this. That's their work, not their main guys but some of the other guys. That's part of their game, which we can't fall into. We have to be above that and this is it.
Those are the failures that you almost have to go through to obtain your experience and not make such mistakes in your career later on.
He did not think the altercation was much ado about anything to Marcus Morris' credit, and thought the ejection was unwarranted.
"Honestly , I didn't think it was much of nothing," Morris said or the postgame scuffle. "I think Luka thought I was, I guess, extra energetic or something, but if you look at the video, I didn't really do anything. I didn't think technical fouls were enough. I wish Porzingis had been playing because it's playoffs, man, no one should get thrown out in playoffs. I know their team really did hurt.
Not my fault but I felt it wasn't that bad.
Once told of the remarks from Porzingis, suggesting that the Clippers were trying to force the Mavericks into some form of altercation and poor decision, LA Clippers head coach Doc Rivers had none of that.
"It's funny, I've been to one of those meetings and I think somebody from the league said, 'You coaches, you're trying to play games with the refs,' Rivers said. "I am like, I never met a coach in my life before thinking about the game, Okay, that's what I need to do to get under their skin. No, I believe we've got some guys who are agitators. This is fine, I guess. Yet that wasn't on our game plan list I can assure you.
That is absurd. 'Alright, let's get him out'
Rivers proceeded to double down on his remarks from last night's game, claiming he disagreed with the decision to grant Marcus Morris and Kristaps Porzingis a technical over the minuscule altercation as well as the reaction technicals earlier in the season.
"I just didn't like it. If I guess I have a critique, I didn't think that [Paul George] should have a tech and I didn't think that Porzingis should have first tech.
"It was a simple thing of annoyance in some games that they do the punch. I just think that we have to — I don't know how you're judging that. If you are not doing one, then you are doing the other.
I guarantee you had to give his because, in the first row, they gave Paul his. I figured there was link between those first two techs. I just didn't like any of them either.
"It is tough in the defense of the officials because they are trying to control the game, the game's emotions. I do. I get it. It's a difficult job.'
The Clippers and Mavericks will play Game 2 at 6PM PST on Wednesday night of their first round series. You can be sure that Kristaps Porzingis will be trying to make an immediate difference in Game 2 after just 20 minutes of play in Game 1.