LOS ANGELES – For all the people to say it, DeAndre Jordan was an unlikely source.

Not always the most mature voice in the room, Jordan was level-headed following the Clippers’ 108-102 loss to Minnesota.

The two technical fouls called on Austin Rivers didn’t seem quite ejection-worthy. Chris Paul’s “overt clap,” as it was explained to Coach Doc Rivers, was certainly a poorly timed technical foul.

But, if the Clippers are being honest – and Jordan was – that didn’t really matter.

“We made so many mistakes prior to that,” Jordan said.

Sure did.

“Our defense was terrible tonight,” he said. “We were a step slow on everything.”

Yup.

“We have to come out and compete,” Jordan said. “And, we can’t take teams lightly.”

And…

“The officials didn’t have anything to do with the way we played,” Jordan said. “We didn’t come out with the right mindset and the right spirit. That’s why we lost this ball game. If we come out and not play a team’s record but play basketball, then we win this game.

“ … This is about us.”

Again – Jordan’s spot on – but only kinda.

This is about the refs. And, it’s about the Clippers.

Last season, Paul criticized Lauren Holtkamp after a loss in Cleveland, suggesting that working in the NBA “might not be for her.” Paul was talking about her status as a rookie – not her place as a woman.

Still, he was fined $25,000 for his remarks and received harsh words from the National Basketball Referees Association. They tweeted his words were “deplorable.”

Scott Foster, the official who gave Austin Rivers his second technical foul, has a long history clashing with the Clippers.

But, if we’re being honest, what refs haven’t the Clippers clashed with?

The Clippers have been called for 35 technical fouls this season – with their Big Three, Jordan (nine), Paul (eight) and Blake Griffin (seven), getting a lot of Big T’s .

Their reputation for working officials is known – and mostly loathed – league-wide. And, on nights like Wednesday, it’s fair to wonder if that’s come back to cost them a game.

Did what the Clippers do or say Wednesday against the Timberwolves warrant three technical fouls? That’s questionable.

But the benefit of the doubt is long gone between the Clippers and the league’s refs.

Like Jordan said, they’ve just “made so many mistakes” before Wednesday.

THE BEST QUOTE

“I’ve got kids in private school.” – Chris Paul, half kidding about avoiding a fine, after being asked if his history with Lauren Holtkamp played a role in his late technical foul.

THE BIGGEST NEWS

Blake Griffin and the Clippers could find out his punishment in the upcoming days for punching assistant equipment manager Matias Testi in Toronto.

THE BEST STAT

The Clippers had won 14 straight games over Minnesota before losing Wednesday.

Contact the writer: dwoike@ocregister.com