Brooklyn Nets

Doc Rivers fined by NBA for his outburst during Clippers-Nets game

Published Dec. 9, 2016 12:29 p.m. ET

Nunzio Ingrassia

Doc Rivers definitely got his money’s worth Tuesday night after he was ejected during the Clippers’ double-overtime loss to the Nets. Now the head coach will have to pay up.

The NBA fined Rivers $15,000 on Thursday for verbally abusing a game official and failing to leave the court in a timely manner after he was ejected late in the first overtime.

With the Clippers trailing by two and 19 seconds left in the extra period, Rivers was ejected after picking up his second technical for arguing a foul call that sent Nets rookie Isaiah Whitehead to the free-throw line, potentially putting the game out of reach. Rivers discussed the foul with referee Lauren Holtkamp when referee Ken Mauer assessed a technical because Rivers crossed midcourt.

Mauer then gave Rivers his second technical, which meant an automatic ejection, for his outburst.

Rivers explained his side of the incident after the game.

“I thought it was an awful tech,” Rivers said Tuesday. “I think you guys know why the tech was called. The official, who had nothing to do with the play, thought I was yelling at Lauren [Holtkamp] and I wasn’t. We weren’t.

“She said I was right and let’s walk back. We weren’t even arguing. It was the damnedest tech to give at that time.”