Not only were Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers heading to the NBA playoffs, but they were doing so with a dark cloud hanging over their head.
It was 2014 and Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s racist comments had been made public.
Rivers had to take a few beats before Game 3 against the first game against the Golden State Warriors, the first road game of the series. He had barely made it.
“So before the first game in Golden State, I’m not on the floor until five seconds before the tip-off,” Rivers told CNN’s Poppy Harlow.
“I’m arguing with Donald Sterling and [Clippers President] Andy Roeser on a cell phone. Donald Sterling was actually going to come to the game. He was coming to the game.”
Harlow asked if Rivers was telling Sterling not to come to the game. That wasn’t necessarily what was happening, of course.
“I am yelling, to the owner of our basketball team and to the president of the team,” Rivers said. “He cannot come. He will not come. I’m threatening to have the police meet him at the door. I didn’t have any of that power. I’m just saying these things. I just knew. Donald Sterling sitting across from our bench would be a disaster. And I couldn’t understand how they didn’t know that.”
Harlow asked if Rivers felt he not only had to be the voice for the team, but also a form of protection.
“I was the only thing,” Rivers explained. “It was the owner, the president, and then it was me. So I walk out … and I said, “’We’re going to lose by 50 points.’”
Rivers then said after everything had gone down, it was bigger than just a game — even during the playoffs. Every team came together. He especially said NBA commissioner Adam Silver stepped up and aided him when he needed it.
Rivers called him in tears.
“They came together,” Rivers said. “Adam [Silver] was unbelievable… and I did believe in Adam. I do remember the only time I broke down, I got in the car and I called Adam. I said, ‘I need help’. “Yeah. I need help. I’m in over my head.’ And he said, ‘I need you for 24 more hours, and you’re going to be very proud of where we’re going. You just got to get through the day.'”
[CNN]
