EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Doc Rivers was confused when he was thrown out, and even more so when he was fined.
Especially since he says the NBA told him the call he was arguing was incorrect.
The NBA fined the Celtics [team stats] coach $25,000 today for an argument with officials that led to two quick technicals and an ejection.
“They admit that the ... call was wrong,” Rivers said before the Celtics’ game against the New Jersey Nets. “Of all the fines I’ve ever had, this is by far the most disappointing. I just don’t get this one. I watched a couple of coaches last week run out on the floor and no fine. I get fined for being right.”
Rivers was irate over a flagrant foul called on Glen “Big Baby” Davis with 6:16 left in Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. The Celtics coach drew back-to-back technicals when he didn’t stop yelling at referee Bennett Salvatore; a third “T” was called on soft-spoken assistant Armond Hill.
Thanks in part to the four-point play, Atlanta won, 102-96.
Rivers said the league called to tell him the officials were mistaken in their ruling.
“I didn’t want to hear the explanation when they called, honestly. I was not in the mood,” Rivers said. “I didn’t let them (explain) because there was no explanation.
“They said I stayed out on the floor too long, or whatever, which I didn’t do. I didn’t swear, kept saying, ‘it’s an awful call,’ so I’m perplexed by the fine. I was perplexed at the time and so I still am.”
Rivers had last been ejected against Chicago in March. He was also fined $25,000, and referee Bill Kennedy was fined an undisclosed amount.
Read more in tomorrow’s Herald.
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