Chris Paul certainly had reason to celebrate the Los Angeles Clippers' Game 7 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night, after the week the whole franchise had gone through.
The Warriors, however, thought Paul engaged in excessive celebration, which was a factor in a postgame melee between the teams upon the series' conclusion.
Multiple sources told USA TODAY Sports that the Warriors and Clippers engaged in a heated verbal exchange in the tunnel that connects the teams' locker rooms following the Clippers' 126-121 victory to advance to the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
According to the report, the somber Warriors took exception to the noise level of the celebration down the hallway. The incident had two parts - with members of both teams appearing in the hallway before the situation began to dissipate.
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That's when Paul arrived at the season, refueling the ill will, although USA TODAY Sports reported it could not confirm whether Paul said anything.
According to USA TODAY: "For all the talk of Blake Griffin and how he gets under his opponents' proverbial skin, Paul is the one who has been driving the Warriors mad for quite some time now."
Golden State reserve post player Marreese Speights supported the claim that the Clippers point guard lacks a certain decorum that helped fuel the feud between the teams during the series.
"It's not really Blake Griffin; it's all Chris Paul for real," the former Memphis Grizzlies big man said after Game 2. "Chris Paul starts all of that stuff. Before Chris Paul came here, the team was not like that. It's just two teams going hard at each other."
It is not known whether Paul, or any Clippers player for that matter, made a loud remark about how quiet the Warriors' locker room was after Saturday night's game, but the remark prompted several Warriors players and coaches came out.
The Warriors believed the remark came from a Clippers assistant coach.
What is known for sure is that Paul, and the Clippers no longer are the Warriors' concern. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant have picked up that fight in the second round.
Do you think Chris Paul was the instigator of several skirmishes between the Clippers and Warriors in the first round of the playoffs? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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