Clippers at Warriors
The Golden State Warriors endured jabs from opposing players and coaches over the summer after winning the NBA championship and have come out this season on a mission to prove they are still the best team in the league. The Warriors will try to continue their historic pace when they host one of the teams that did the most talking over the summer - the Los Angeles Clippers.
Golden State took three of four from the Clippers in the regular season last year and missed out on a chance to see them in the playoffs when Los Angeles squandered a 3-1 series lead against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semifinals. Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers suggested the Warriors may have been the recipients of some good fortune in their run through the playoffs, prompting Golden State guard Klay Thompson to respond by saying, “I wanted to play the Clippers last year but they couldn’t handle their business.” Los Angeles has handled its business so far this season and heads into the matchup 4-0. The Warriors are 4-0 as well after beginning their homestand by blasting the Memphis Grizzlies 119-69 on Monday.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (4-0): Blake Griffin has been at the front of several battles with the Warriors over the past few seasons and is leading his team in Wednesday’s clash. Griffin is averaging 29.5 points on 62.2 percent shooting and 9.3 rebounds during Los Angeles’ hot start and is benefiting from an improved bench that now includes Paul Pierce and Josh Smith helping to take some of the pressure off in the frontcourt. Griffin has even improved at the free-throw line, where he is connecting at a 74.3-percent clip.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (4-0): Golden State has outscored its first four opponents – all of which were Western Conference playoff teams last season – by a total of 100 points, bettering the 1961-62 Boston Celtics’ 99-point margin through four contests. “I think we’ve taken our intensity to a different level,” Draymond Green told the San Francisco Chronicle after Monday’s win. “It’s just a maturity. We’re getting more and more games together. We know what it takes.” Reigning MVP Stephen Curry is leading the charge and notched his third 20-point quarter of the young season in the third against the Grizzlies.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Curry is averaging 37 points on 59.5 percent shooting, including 48.8 percent from 3-point range.
2. Los Angeles PG Chris Paul totaled 10 turnovers in the last two games.
3. Golden State C Andrew Bogut (concussion) has not played since the opener and remains day-to-day.