National Basketball Association

Doc Rivers brought to tears in pregame interview session

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:26 p.m. ET

foxsports

LOS ANGELES (AP) Clippers coach Doc Rivers' eyes welled with tears and he became choked up before his team played Portland in Game 5 of their first-round series.

During his pregame availability Wednesday night, Rivers was asked who he leans on to get through after losing injured stars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul.

Rivers responded, ''I don't know,'' and his dark eyes filled with tears. He paused and put his hand to his face in an attempt to keep any liquid from spilling out. He told the media that his emotional reaction wasn't in response to the reporter's question.

He mentioned his late mother, Bettye Rivers, saying, ''That would have been a person.''

She died last June in Maywood, Illinois, the Chicago suburb where Rivers grew up and starred at Proviso East High School.

Rivers stared straight ahead in the quiet room before getting up and walking out.

The Clippers and Trail Blazers are tied 2-2. Griffin is out for the season after aggravating a quadriceps injury, while Paul broke his hand in Game 4 on Monday.