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Rivers fined $15K for verbal abuse towards ref vs. Nets

Brad Penner / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers has been fined $15,000 by the NBA for directing verbal abuse towards a game official, as well as not leaving the court in a timely manner following his ejection from Tuesday's overtime loss against the Brooklyn Nets, the league announced Thursday.

A trap play by the Clippers in the first overtime period with 18.6 seconds remaining and the team trailing by two on the scoreboard was whistled for a foul by referee Lauren Holtkamp.

Rivers was then assessed a technical foul by official Ken Mauer, which sent Rivers into a frenzy, resulting in his players and assistants needing to restrain him. He eventually picked up a second technical for arguing the first one.

Rivers believed Mauer thought he was yelling at Holtkamp, when, in actuality, all he was trying to do was discuss why the call was made, although him crossing the half-court line didn't help his cause.

Related - Rivers on ejection blowup: 'I thought it was an awful tech'

Los Angeles went on to lose the game in the second extra period, 127-122.

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