Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers and ESPN analyst Bill Simmons traded jabs on Thursday during the live telecast of the 2013 NBA Draft. Rivers' son then became involved, and the quarrel spilled onto Twitter, USA Today Sports reports.
Simmons, a confirmed Boston Celtics fan, has repeatedly accused Rivers of quitting on the team since the coach's departure. When ESPN's Shelley Smith interviewed Rivers during the second round of the draft, the topic of Simmons' allegations came up. Rivers wasn't shy about answering.
"I would like to call him an idiot," Rivers replied, "but I'm too classy for that."
When the camera returned to Simmons, he didn't hold back.
"The truth keeps changing," he fired back. "He's giving different quotes about this. He did know, he didn't know, he kind of knew. He wanted the trade to happen, he was coming back, he needed a year off. When he sticks to a story, I'll believe the truth."
Rivers wasn't given an opportunity to respond. But his son, Jeremiah Rivers, defended his father on Twitter.
