Coach Doc Rivers would like to see coaches’ challenge instituted

J.J. Redick

J.J. Redick/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

 

When the NBA released its “Last 2 Minutes” report from Monday’s game between the L.A. Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder, it showed officials made three mistakes in the final two minutes of the Clippers’ 100-99 loss at Staples Center. All went against the Clippers.

OKC’s Dion Waiters grabbed J.J. Redick’s jersey before Redick caught a pass and shot and missed a 3-pointer with no foul called on Waiters. Russell Westbrook should have been called for a foul when Chris Paul scored a basket that put the Clippers ahead 99-98 with 10.9 seconds left and Serge Ibaka should have been called for an illegal screen that set up Kevin Durant’s game-winning jump-shot with 5.8 seconds to go.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers on Wednesday at practice said it was all moot.

“Until something changes, it doesn’t matter,” said Rivers, whose team next will play the Lakers (5-23) on Christmas night at 7:30. “I really believe we’ve gotta make a change there. Those non-calls or calls, or whatever you want to call them, cost the game for us, literally. We have to come up with something, and I don’t even know what it is.”

Yes, he does.

“I’ve been thinking about a coaches’ challenge the last 2 minutes,” he said. “I’m a big believer in it. I think if we had a coaches’ challenge, the last two minutes of that game, we win the game.”

Rivers beefed to officials about all three situations once they happened.

“I don’t think anybody’s trying to make mistakes or anything like that,” Rivers said. “It’s a hard game to ref, but I do think the last two minutes … and if you get it wrong, you lose a timeout. And if you get it right, you keep the timeout.”

Rivers is part of the NBA’s competition committee, which has discussed using a challenge.

“Yeah, we’ve talked about it,” he said. “But it’s not gone too far. I think it will, eventually.”

Redick intimated he couldn’t care less about the L2M report.

“It doesn’t make a difference,” he said. “I don’t even know why they do it. Who cares? It doesn’t change anything. You can go through 48 minutes and write INC (incorrect call) or CNC (correct non-call) all you want, but it doesn’t change anything. So I don’t see a point to it. I’m not going to get worked up over it.”

Neither is Paul.

“We all make mistakes,” said Paul, who immediately after the game said, “I’ll save my money,” when asked about the officiating.