In what was perhaps a first in NBA history, two head coaches were ejected at the exact same moment in a game between the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls on Friday night.
The ejections stemmed from a heated argument between Clippers coach Doc Rivers and Bulls coach Jim Boylen following an offensive foul that was called on Montrezl Harrell for an illegal screen. Boylen felt that the Clippers were repeatedly getting away with illegal screens, and directed some words towards Rivers, who responded in kind.
Officials attempted to intervene, but the conversation continued and both coaches were promptly ejected from the game.
Bulls guard Zach LaVine had offered to pay the resulting fine from Boylen's ejection, though Boylen declined the offer and said he would assume responsibility. LaVine explained why he offered to pay off the fine to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune:
LaVine on offer to pay Boylen's fines: "I didn’t feel like he deserved it. So I wanted to stick up for him. He sticks up for us a lot. I feel like he hasn’t got enough credit for that. We’re not winning and he’s still coaching us hard. We’re going somewhere. I appreciate that."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 17, 2019
This marks a big turnaround in the relationship between Boylen and his players. When Boylen replaced Fred Hoiberg as head coach in December, players grew disgruntled with his practice demands and even threatened to boycott practices.
LaVine in particular was very vocal in his frustrations, lamenting in late-January that the team was suffering from serious lapses and that something had changed, which appeared to be a subliminal dig at Boylen.
But the Bulls responded to their frustrations in kind, going 7-5 after acquiring Otto Porter at the trade deadline and seeing marked improvements on the offensive end.
Bulls President Michael Reinsdorf has continued to back Boylen and Chicago's front office, so the developing relationship between Boylen and his star guard is imperative to the team's future.
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