Report: Rockets Upset Clippers Escaped Punishment for Locker Room Incident
Members of the Houston Rockets are upset and disappointed that Los Angeles Clippers players Blake Griffin and Austin Rivers were not punished for their roles in an incident following Monday's game, reports ESPN.com.
Rockets forwards Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green were suspended two games after they entered the Clippers' locker room following a 113–102 loss.
The league said the pair were suspended for engaging "in a hostile, verbal altercation with several Clippers players."
According to the report, the Rockets believe that Griffin intentionally made contact with Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni after the two starting arguing with each other.
Rivers did not play in the game and was seen several times trash talking the Rockets.
With less than two minutes remaining in the game, Rivers and Ariza started their verbal sparring which led to Ariza and Griffin's confrontation. Both Griffin and Ariza were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game.
Several media reports contend that Ariza, along with Rockets guards Chris Paul and James Harden went to the Clippers locker room to confront Griffin and Rivers.
The league's investigation into the matter says that Paul and Harden were simply trying to calm Ariza down and defuse the situation.
The teams next matchup with each other is on Feb. 28 in Los Angeles.
