Sixers’ Doc Rivers sounds off on Nets, Draymond Green, James Harden, NBA
NEW YORK–As the Philadelphia 76ers prepare to attempt to close out the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday afternoon in their first round series, the status of Joel Embiid has come to the forefront.
Embiid was called for a flagrant-1 after appearing to kick Nets big man Nic Claxton in the midsection after Claxton stood over him in Philadelphia’s Game 3 win on Thursday. Considering Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was ejected and then suspended for stomping Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis their first round series, it seemed like the precedent was set for Embiid to be tossed.
Instead, Embiid stayed in the game while James Harden was then ejected for what appeared to be a very questionable flagrant-2 foul late in the third quarter. After the game, Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said Embiid should have been kicked out of Game 3.
On Friday, before a team film session at their team hotel, coach Doc Rivers sounded off on the Green suspension, NBA VP Joe Dumars’ ruling on Green, the Nets, and what happened with Embiid and Harden:
Editor’s note: The following was one long answer from Rivers broken up for more clarity.
Rivers on Green's suspension and Vaughn wanting Embiid kicked out
“Listen, and I’m gonna say this, I probably shouldn’t, I didn’t think Draymond should have got suspended and I think that league is setting up a very dangerous precedent right now. This is not me campaigning, alright? And I’m dead serious. I said it kind of yesterday before. I wish I’d said it louder, but if we’re going to start punishing the retaliators and not the instigators, then we got a problem in this league because you know, and as a coach and I love Jacque, but I can’t believe we have coaches campaigning for guys not to play. That’s just nuts to me. Really. This is—I’ve been a player and this is a player’s league and I am 100% pro player. I think players should play in games. I think we talk all year about the fans not being happy, about guys playing and now we’re taking guys out of the playoffs. I don’t believe in the past stuff either…”
On Dumars' ruling of Green and Claxton's role in the Embiid incident
“…like they take away all your techs at the end of the season. Right? And you start over. Then you should start over and that stuff too. To hear what Joe was saying with Draymond, the past. No, if you should have done something then. This is now, but on top of that Draymond Green stepped on a guy’s chest because he was holding his foot. Alright? The instigator was holding his foot. If I was at a park, and I’m gonna make this point, and you stood over me, we’re going to have a problem. I didn’t grow up in the sticks and stones era. I grew up in the break-the-bones era so it’s a little different. Alright? Having said that, but these guys know they can do it, because they know most likely you can’t do anything. I’m not picking on Claxton, but I don’t think at a park, you’re standing over Joel, but when you got the refs and everybody else there, nothing’s gonna happen…”
On not punishing the instigators
“…So, to me and all I’m saying is this and this is what I’m concerned by, is teams targeting the better players with instigation to get them thrown out and the better player has to be above and can’t retaliate. It’s just like anything. I even go back way back to the (Donald) Sterling thing. Sterling says that crap he said, and no one talked about Sterling anymore. They’re waiting for us to respond and how we respond. It shouldn’t be about how we respond. It should be about the person who commits the act and so that’s the only thing I’m concerned with. The Joel thing will take care of itself. We got to be better. We knew coming into the game, they’re going to be more physical, and we got to handle that better as a group…”
Rivers on Harden's ejection
“…James’ thing was a joke. It’s funny, I hadn’t seen it as clear enough until late last night, but this morning when I’m watching film, and the first thing with James is I’m still looking for the foul. To be thrown out? That’s the problem I have with James getting thrown out. There were three officials and at least one or two guys in Secaucus, and that’s what they came up with? I just can’t understand that one. Alright? Joel’s could have went either way. Now that I’ve watched it. It really could have. I don’t think he kicked—I think kicked him in the leg actually. I don’t know if that’s where he was targeting or not, but don’t stand over me. We have these unwritten rules in hockey. Where if you do something, it’s almost like you’re allowed to do things in hockey. Well, we need to recreate some in our league, and one of them is you don’t straddle a guy and stand over him. You just don’t. You don’t do that…”
Rivers finishes his rant
“…Having said all that, let’s get back to basketball and we got to be right. We definitely have to be ready and handle that stuff better as a group and we just have to know Joel is probably the main guy because he gets it—but it was all game. If you watch, they’re bumping them, they were hitting them, they were there holding him and it was allowed. So the lesser guys have never gotten that treatment because no one’s doing that to them and so we’re asking our stars to turn their heads a whole bunch more than they can at times so it says it’s a tough one for the league. I think they’re in a tough spot, but I do think if you start—if you’re gonna suspend Draymond, you suspend the other guy, to. You created it, you go to. Alright? So if you want to do that, you’re putting yourself in a chance if the guy does respond that you may go, too. I think we have to come up with something like that. That’s my last—I’m on no longer on the Rules Committee, but that’s what I would go to.”
