Doc Rivers Rips Clippers, Lets Them ‘Blow Smoke’ After Loss To Warriors

Doc Rivers didn’t pulled any punches while criticizing his team.

The Los Angeles Clippers held a players-only meeting Wednesday night following a 121-104 loss to the Golden State Warriors. The defeat dropped the Clippers’ record to 3-2, and Rivers wasn’t pleased with his team’s overall effort.

“I didn’t say much. I just let them blow smoke up each other’s asses,” Rivers told reporters of the locker room message following the blowout loss. “That’s all they did, in my opinion. I just think if you’re going to talk, you’ve got to be real. I’m not a big fan of group meetings unless they’re real group meetings. I think we’re getting close with the talk today, but we’re not there.”

The Warriors led by as many as 29 points Wednesday. Blake Griffin finished with only one rebound, and Chris Paul’s 15-point, 12-assist performance was hardly enough as Golden State absolutely dismantled its Western Conference rival. Rivers wasn’t enthused about the Clippers’ compete level — something they need to address if they’re to take the next step.

“It’s other stuff. I don’t know what it is,” Rivers said of the Clippers’ heart and toughness. “We’ve got to talk. That’s what you do. But it’s got to be real. And, they know it. They’re going to get to it.

“I use the Chuck Daly line all the time: ‘It doesn’t matter if you have the same team. Sometimes, you have to wait for your team.’ No matter how much you push them, you still have to wait for them, until they’re ready to play. So far, we’re just not there. No matter (how hard) we push, we’re just not there. We better get there quickly.”

The Warriors, meanwhile, are rolling. They’re 4-0 and look primed for a big season in head coach Steve Kerr’s first year at the helm.

Photo via Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Images