Friday night's matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls featured one of the strangest moments of the entire NBA season.
In the third quarter, Clippers big Montrezl Harrell was called for an illegal screen on Bulls guard Shaquille Harrison. As Harrell protested the call, Clippers head coach Doc Rivers began barking at Bulls coach Jim Boylen, who began chirping back while even starting to walk towards Rivers.
The officials intervened and warned both coaches to cease the discussion, before eventually ejecting Rivers and Boylen simultaneously.
Boylen had been frustrated with the apparent lack of officiating directed at the Clippers' illegal screens, one of which had sent guard Ryan Arcidiacono to the locker room.
After being ejected, the Bulls head coach put on an emphatic display, dapping up everyone on the bench before going onto the court to encourage the players on the floor.
During the postgame, guard Zach LaVine offered to pay Boylen's fine because he was so adamant in standing up for his players, but Boylen told Bulls radio announcer Chuck Swirsky that he will pay the fine himself:
https://twitter.com/ctsbulls/status/1107362305979768832
Boylen became the interim head coach of the Bulls when Fred Hoiberg was fired, and he was almost immediately in the midst of a controversy. His call for a practice after a back-to-back garnered a great deal of displeasure from the players, who even discussed boycotting a practice.
However, things have settled down in Chicago. The Bulls were 7-5 in their first 12 games since acquiring Otto Porter Jr. from the Washington Wizards, but they have since lost four straight games.
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