Rowan Kavner
PLAYA VISTA, Calif. - Much to head coach Doc Rivers’ surprise and benefit, the month of April still includes a Coach of the Month honor for each conference.
Rivers found out he’d been named the Western Conference Coach of the Month while walking onto the court Thursday, after his Clippers closed the regular season with the only undefeated record in April.
The Eastern Conference’s Coach of the Month honor went to Celtics head coach Brad Stevens. Rivers joked that the two coaches are going to have to saw the award in half, since teams only had games half the month.
“I was shocked, No. 1,” Rivers said. “No. 2, I think they do give you this plaque…It’s always nice whenever you win anything.”
Rivers became the third Clippers coach in franchise history to receive the honor, joining Vinny Del Negro (December 2012) and Larry Brown (March 1992). The strong finish to the season included a 19-point comeback against the Trail Blazers in Portland on April 1 and a win against another Western Conference playoff team in the Grizzlies.
The Clippers’ 14-1 record was the NBA’s best mark to finish the regular season.
Paul Support
Charles Barkley called Chris Paul the best leader in the NBA, and he doesn’t understand some of the criticism he’s heard people give him.
Barkley said it’s unjust when people blame Paul for the Clippers not advancing further in past seasons, and he credits Paul for putting the Clippers in the position they’re in.
“The guy is unbelievable,” Barkley said. “I know everybody loves Steph (Curry), but I’ve been saying Chris Paul and Tony Parker have been the best point guards for the last five years in the NBA. It flip-flops every year.”
As it turns out, the two point guards will meet in the first round of the playoffs. Barkley said Paul’s the reason the Clippers are winning and that people don’t understand how much he has to do for the team.
Paul appreciated the praise from Barkley.
“Chuck is one of the best to ever play the game, and that means a lot,” Paul said. “He’s one of the greatest power forwards to ever play the game. I’m honored.”
Barkley added that he has no idea who’s going to win the Western Conference, but he thought the Spurs’ loss to the Pelicans was detrimental for San Antonio.
“I think the Spurs really screwed up (Wednesday) night,” he said. “I don’t think any team is good enough to win three straight series in the West on the road.”
HGH Testing
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced Thursday that blood testing for Human Growth Hormone (HGH) will begin next season as part of the league’s anti-drug program.
A player testing positive for HGH will be suspended 20 games for a first violation and 45 games for a second violation. A third violation will result in dismissal and disqualification from the NBA.
The NBA and NBPA agreed to a process for determining how HGH blood testing would be implemented as part of the collective bargaining negotiations four years ago. That process is now complete, and beginning with the start of 2015 training camps, all NBA players will be subject to three random, unannounced HGH tests annually.