National Basketball Association

Austin Rivers' big game off bench helps Clippers even series against Spurs

Published Apr. 26, 2015 8:34 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Austin Rivers is playing in his first postseason. Not that you could tell Sunday.

With the Clippers desperate to win Game 4 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series at the AT&T Center and avoid returning to Los Angeles for an elimination game, the 22-year-old Rivers delivered the performance of his life.

"They're probably saying lots of great stuff right now. I really don't care," Austin Rivers said. "My focus is to play with energy and help my team. I've learned a lot of things from No. 3 (Paul). The way he carries us every night. He came to me tonight and said, 'I need your help.' That put a lot of confidence in me, man. If Chris Paul believes in me, I know I can do it. I believe in myself. Why not me?"

Before Sunday, Rivers was best known this season for becoming part of the first son to play for his father Doc on an NBA team. Or that last-second, game-winning shot he made against North Carolina when he played for Duke. He was the 10th overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

And he'll always have that distinction of being a coach's son. He showed off an all-around game to go with that Sunday.

Asked if he and his father had a moment after his big game, Austin Rivers had the perfect response: "No, man. We didn't win a championship. It was a good game but we've still got another one to win and another one to win. I want to do it again. I was just having fun."

Indeed.

Austin Rivers is one of three players -- along with Jamal Crawford and Glen 'Big Baby' Davis -- who get time of the bench that has struggled mightily all season.

In Game 4, Crawford and Rivers combined for 31 points and four assists. Davis had a fine game as well. But it was Rivers' performance that stood tall in a defining moment for the Clippers, who were playing their first game after the Spurs earned a dominant 100-73 win in Game 3.

"(Rivers) was amazing," Paul said. "The rest I was able to get in the second quarter and even fourth quarter was unbelievable and it was due to Austin and the rest of the bench guys. I went into one of the huddles and told Austin, 'I trust you. I believe in you. Be aggressive.' Without his production today, we don't win the game."

Said Doc Rivers: "That was nice. We needed it. ... It's funny. What I told Austin is that obviously his offense is good, but it was his defense. To be able to put him on multiple guys, that was huge."

Rivers came to the Clippers via a three-team trade in January after Doc Rivers traded for his son. The Pelicans weren't picking up the option on his Rivers contract, and he never found his niche in New Orleans.

He's finding it with the Clippers.

When he landed in Los Angeles - making national headlines for being part of the first father-son duo in the NBA -- he was told it was all about defense first. 

Rivers guarded well in Game 4, but Griffin gave him advice on his offensive game, and it worked, too.

"(Game 4) gave him some confidence," Griffin said. "I think now he sees just how much pressure he can put on a team. After (Game 3), he and I were the last two in the locker room and I was talking to him and said 'Man, I think you should just come downhill and go, use that speed, use that quickness to make plays.'

"I thought that's exactly what he did. He was good He didn't hesitate, he attacked and he made the right plays. Defensively, he's always great, especially on the ball. Austin just had the right mindset."

Austin Rivers and Blake Griffin were part of a funny video gone viral after Matt Barnes filmed Griffin impersonating Rivers earlier this year and put it on social media. Griffin took the ball from the top of the key, jokingly brushed guys aside with exaggerated wave of the hand motions, made some juking moves and threw up a wild shot. He then hugged Rivers afterward.

It was all smiles afterward Sunday in the visiting locker room. And now the Spurs have film to review on a player they surely didn't expect to make such an impact offensively.

"Incredible for a guy playing in his first playoffs and one of the most hostile environments in the league, against the defending champs and to come up with no hesitation," Barnes said. "He was the key to our win, definitely."

share

Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

National Basketball Association