When your best two players are arguing while you’re up 23 points on live national television, playing a team who has nothing to play for, it doesn’t look good. Blake Griffin and Chris Paul got in a little disagreement on a play Tuesday night when the Los Angeles Clippers went up against the Phoenix Suns on TNT. The 2 had a small spat but Doc Rivers isn’t mad about it. He’s actually happy about it.
Doc Rivers said the following to Arash Markazi of ESPN,
“I hate when stuff goes unsaid. They were upset over one of the plays. Blake was more upset at himself. I didn’t mind it at all … They were up huge and they were mad at a miscommunicated play, and I kind of like that.”
Paul and Griffin were seen arguing about a play late in the first half where Griffin was fouled on a buzzer-beating three. Rivers also said on the issue,
“You need it. I would say a year ago whenever anybody got upset over a play or something no one talked to each other. This group has really grown. We’re just so much better at that. That gives you a chance, and in the West, all you can ask for is a chance.”
At the end of the day though, Rivers thinks the spat between the 2 players is a good thing and Blake Griffin does as well. It ended up working out for the Clippers as they handled the Suns and now they sit and wait to see where they get seeded. Griffin doesn’t see any negatives behind the spat.
“To me, personally, I think it’s a great thing for two guys like that to not settle for being up by 23 going into the locker room,” Griffin said. “It’s probably a perfectionist thing on both of our parts, but I think it’s a great thing. The fact that we’re out there talking about that last play shows we’ve made a lot of growth as a team.”
The 2 players are professionals and they’ve both showed it on different occassions on the court. Sure, they get emotional and might get involved in an issue or 2 but would you rather that they don’t play with heart? Would you rather them allow teams to run over them whenever they can?
I know I definetely wouldn’t want guys showing a lack of emotion and if there is any coach that can make sure these guys focus, it is Doc Rivers.
