Doc Rivers says ESPN’s Bill Simmons is just a “fan”

Looks like there’s a new rivalry in the NBA but not between two teams or players. This one looks to be a battle between ESPN on-air personality Bill Simmons and newly minted Clippers head coach, Doc Rivers. Simmons is a die-hard Celtics fan and in the past – before he was on the air – was very critical of Doc Rivers. The two had an awkward exchange this week during ESPN’s draft night coverage when Simmons inferred that Doc quit on the Celtics and Rivers clapped back.

The war of words continued on Friday. Doc appeared on “The Dan Patrick Show” and said Simmons ruined ESPN’s draft night coverage, and he’s just a “fan.”

Most analysts are “fans” of the game. Simmons built his career from the “fan’s perspective.” Doc even acknowledged in this interview that he wasn’t interested in being a part of a rebuilding situation, so there is some truth in Simmons’s words. I suspect, much like some of Skip Bayless’s beefs on “First Take,” this topic will come up again, especially when you consider that Simmons and Doc are both in the same city once again.

Don’t believe me? Simmons responded to Doc’s interview via Twitter.

Doc on @WEEI about @BillSimmons: “He did everything he could to get me fired. Wrote letters, wanted to sit down w/ owners to talk about it.”

— Ben Rohrbach (@brohrbach) June 28, 2013

The quote I just retweeted is an outright, 100 percent lie. I’d be careful, Glenn. Seriously. Stop talking. You are making sh*t up.

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 28, 2013

Glen is Doc’s first name…