Warriors at Clippers
The Golden State Warriors went into the playoffs as the No. 6 seed last season and knocked off the third-seeded Denver Nuggets. They will be attempting to turn the same trick again this spring, though the competition will be different when the Warriors visit the third-seeded Los Angeles Clippers in the opener of a seven-game series on Saturday. The Clippers are primed for a deep playoff run and brought in coach Doc Rivers in part for his experience in the postseason.
Rivers is the biggest change from last spring, when Los Angeles dropped a first-round series to the Memphis Grizzlies under Vinny Del Negro, but he is not the only difference. The Clippers led the league in scoring and became a defensive force as the season progressed and DeAndre Jordan grew more comfortable with his role as an enforcer and rim protector. The Warriors likely won’t have anyone who can match up directly with Jordan with Andrew Bogut out indefinitely. Golden State’s center suffered a broken rib in the final week of the regular season.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (51-31): Golden State and Los Angeles did not get along very well during the regular season, and Warriors guard Klay Thompson continued the war of words this week by talking about Clippers All-Star forward Blake Griffin. “He’s kind of like a bull in a china shop, kind of out of control sometimes,” Thompson told 95.7 The Game radio in San Francisco. “And then you do just see him flop sometimes, like how can a guy that big and strong flop that much?” Much of the responsibility for guarding Griffin and watching out for those “flops” will fall to forward David Lee, who worked his way back into the lineup in three games down the stretch after missing time with nerve irritation in his upper hamstring. Center Jermaine O’Neal could take Bogut’s place in the starting lineup unless the Warriors decide to go smaller and use Draymond Green.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (57-25): Griffin chose to downplay Thompson’s comments and is ready to get back on the court after sitting out the final game of the regular season due to a one-game suspension for drawing a 16th technical foul. Griffin was tossed from the Christmas night meeting with the Warriors after drawing a pair of technical fouls and all four meetings, which were split 2-2, were tense. “I want to play Golden State,” forward Matt Barnes told ESPN Los Angeles. “I think that’s everybody’s mindset. They’ve been asking for us and we’re on a course to see each other. … There’s no need to really talk or get into it or get them anymore fired up. The playoffs are here now and this is what everybody has waited eight months for.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Warriors G Stephen Curry went 18-for-32 from 3-point range in his final three regular-season games.
2. Clippers G Chris Paul averaged 28 points, 12.7 assists and 3.7 steals in three games against Golden State this season.
3. Los Angeles F Danny Granger (hamstring) missed the final nine games of the regular season but expects to be ready on Saturday.