Doc Rivers made clear that purposely provoking the Dallas Mavericks was not an intentional strategy deployed by the Los Angeles Clippers.
Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis was controversially ejected from Monday’s series opener after picking up a second technical foul in the third quarter.
The ejection stirred by a minor altercation with Clippers forward Marcus Morris.
“I think we have some guys who are agitators,” Rivers said, per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “I think that’s good. But I can guarantee you that (provoking) wasn’t on our game-plan list. That’s just ridiculous. (There was nobody saying) ‘OK, let’s get him thrown out.’ I didn’t like (the ejection) actually.”
Kristaps Porzingis’ first playoff career game did not go according to plan, as the Clippers got the win in Game 1. Game 2 in the best-of-seven series between Dallas and Clippers is Wednesday.
