Doc Rivers’ trip tinged with nostalgia, and sadness too

The Doc Rivers homecoming tour took a poignant turn after two buoyant days in Milwaukee, where the Clippers coach once starred at point guard for Marquette.

He returned to Chicago on Thursday and his mother was not there to greet him.

“This is the first time, so … , “ Rivers said, his voice choked with emotion.

Bettye Rivers died in June at 82 from a variety of health issues. Doc would always drive to his mother’s home in Maywood, a suburb west of Chicago, for dinner after games against the Bulls.

His favorite dish never wavered.

“Her spaghetti,” Rivers said. “It was awesome. I guess I’ll have to get it from somewhere else, a restaurant or something.”

His trip was still something of a family reunion. Rivers’ older brother, Grady Jr., attended the Clippers’ 83-80 loss to the Bulls at the United Center.

The previous two days had been a bit more lighthearted in Milwaukee, where Rivers serves on the board of trustees at Marquette.

The Clippers practiced in the old Al McGuire Center, where tributes to Rivers remain, including a game-worn jersey and a massive mural of the coach with the Larry O’Brien Trophy he won while guiding the 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics.

“It’s a special place for me,” Rivers said.

Rivers also attended Marquette’s victory over San Diego State on Tuesday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center alongside son Austin Rivers and J.J. Redick, a friend of Marquette coach and fellow Duke alumnus Steve Wojciechowski.

Spending time around his alma mater also reminded Rivers of the late Hank Raymonds and Rick Majerus, who both coached him there.

“I think about both of them,” Rivers said.

No social butterfly

Rivers has a good excuse for having tweeted only twice since he joined the social media platform in late October.

“I do not know my password,” he said with a chuckle.

One tweet thanked New York Knicks executive Phil Jackson for suggesting that Rivers join Twitter and the other welcomed TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager back after an absence related to cancer.

Rivers acknowledged having lost interest and said he preferred Instagram because he didn’t have to write much. His reluctance to tweet hasn’t negated interest in what he might eventually have to say; Rivers has 18,200 followers.

Balloting begins

Voting for the All-Star game on Feb. 14 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto commenced Thursday, with every NBA player eligible to be selected at nba.com/vote. The first set of results will be released on Christmas.

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twitter: @latbbolch