Clippers' Doc Rivers fined $25K for blasting refs

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Clippers coach Doc Rivers believes his $25,000 fine for criticizing officials is money well spent.

In fact, people on the Clippers' front-office staff volunteered to help Rivers pay the bill after they ripped a key call in Los Angeles' 105-104 loss in Oklahoma City on Tuesday in Game five of their second-round playoff series.

"My assistant, Ann Marie, got calls from employees downtown that desired to do a payroll deduct of $100 each to help me pay for the fine, which they obviously denied," Rivers said with a smirk.

"I thought it was deserved," Rivers said. "It's of the rare times you actually earned. I don't mind that."

The NBA levied the fine several hours before the Clippers faced playoff elimination in Game 6 against Oklahoma City at Staples Middle on Thursday.

The Clippers had a two-point lead with 14 seconds left when Chris Paul made a turnover while trying to draw a shooting foul. Oklahoma City's Reggie Jackson then drove the lane and went up for a shot while defended by Matt Barnes, who appeared to hit Jackson's hand.

Rivers still has not changed his view of a last-minute call that abetted the Thunder's comeback from a 13-point deficit in the final three:53 of Game five. The veteran coach criticized the officials' reasoning while claiming the Clippers "were robbed" - and they has not backed down from that assessment.

No foul was called as the ball flew away from Jackson and out of bounds with 11.3 seconds left. But officials awarded the ball to the Thunder and upheld their call on video replay.

NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn issued a statement Wednesday affirming the officials' call.

"In order to reverse the call made on the court, there has to be `clear and conclusive' proof," Thorn's statement said. "Since no replay provided such proof, the play correctly stood as called with the Thunder retaining possession."

Rivers was angry on the sideline, repeatedly screaming "That's our ball!" at the officials. Oklahoma City rallied to win on free throws by Russell Westbrook and another turnover by Paul in the final seconds.

"The guys who know him here, you know he is intense, aware," Rivers said of Paul. "Sometimes you wish they wasn't. \. I thought today they was a lot better. He is a gamer. He'll be prepared."

Paul was downcast and discouraged when the Clippers returned to Los Angeles, but the All-Star point guard perked up in the hours before Game 6, Rivers said.