Like father, like son: Both Riverses ejected from Clippers’ game in Houston

The Clippers seem to have a history with the officials, and it’s not good.

After Clippers Coach Doc Rivers was given a technical foul and ejected from the game against Houston Friday night and Austin Rivers was given a technical and also ejected from the game, L.A. now has 31 technical fouls on the season.

That only trails leader Phoenix (37) and New York 35.

It was the second time this season both Rivers had been ejected from the same game. Austin Rivers and Doc Rivers were tossed from the game at the Washington Wizards on Dec. 18th.

Doc Rivers was asked if he sensed the referees have a quicker trigger with his team because of all the complaining about fouls.

“It could be. I don’t know that,” Doc Rivers said. “You [the media] said that. Not me. But I don’t think so. I hope not. I think everybody is trying to do their job each night. It’s not like Austin has a history.

“Listen, we do complain too much. I will admit that. So we got to get better. But even if we do, all that’s still in the past. If we make a pact tomorrow to never complain again, are you still going to hold us accountable for what’s happened in the past? That’s not right. I don’t think they’re doing that. They’re more professional than that.”

DeAndre Jordan leads the Clippers with seven technical fouls and Austin Rivers has four.

Austin Rivers was asked if the referees are less tolerant of the Clippers.

“A lot of it is self-inflicted from our past,” he said.

“We could be better. I don’t know. I don’t even know how to answer that. I think we could be better. I think everybody could be better. They could be better. We could all be better. All I know is I know what I did not do and I did not do anything wrong for me to get ejected. That’s all I know.”

Injury update

Chris Paul didn’t play against the Rockets because of issues with his left hamstring.

Paul had missed three consecutive games with a strained left hamstring, but then played at New Orleans on Wednesday night.

Doc Rivers said Paul might play Saturday night at Oklahoma City.

“It’s just understanding that it’s a marathon,” Paul said. “So I just keep telling myself, as well as all of us, is that we understand that it’s big picture.”

Wesley Johnson suffered a sprained left ankle Friday night. He got X-rays after the game on the ankle that was negative for anything more serious than a sprain. He has been listed as questionable for the Thunder game.

UP NEXT

AT OKLAHOMA CITY

When: 5 p.m. PST, Saturday.

Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena.

On the air: TV: Prime Ticket; Radio: 570.

Records: Clippers 22-13, Thunder 20-13.

Record vs. Rockets: 1-1.

Update: This will be the Clippers’ eighth back-to-back game of the season. Do-everything guard Russell Westbrook has been a handful for the entire NBA. He leads the league in scoring (31.1) and triple-doubles (15). He’s second in assists (10.6) and 11th in rebounds (10.5).

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner