L.A. Clippers head coach Doc Rivers had plenty of things to say to reporters following his team’s 107-85 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday. Most of it was about the game itself, his admiration of Kristaps Porzingis, what was the difference between the Knicks cutting ties with Carmelo Anthony and the Clippers parting ways with Chris Paul over the offseason.

Another subject Rivers talked about was that incident at Madison Square Garden when he saw his former teammate with the Knicks; Charles Oakley, get yanked away from his seat and escorted out of the stadium by security, per Fred Kerber of the New York Post.

“I just recall standing there and when I noticed it was Oak, I literally walked to half-court. It was my teammate,” Rivers recalled. “I was literally thinking [of interceding].”

“Thank God I didn’t, but it was my teammate. It was surreal, and when I went back to the bench, I couldn’t get my focus back for a while. Clearly, Oak was the only thing I was thinking about.”

Article Continues Below

The coach witnessed the ordeal first-hand as it happened during a Clippers road game against the Knicks back in Feb. 8.

Rivers and Oakley played together for the Knicks for three seasons from 1992-95. While they last played for one team over 20 years ago, it’s clear from Rivers’ comments that he’s still got his teammate’s back.