The Golden State Warriors play the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday. Tipoff is at 10:30 p.m. ET. Listen to the live radio broadcast HERE or watch the live stream HERE.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers' debut in Los Angeles ended in a 116-103 loss to the Lakers. Chris Paul nabbed a double-double with 15 points and 11 assists, and Blake Griffin had a team-high 19 points. Still, it wasn't enough to overcome the Lakers' bench.
"We were not ready tonight," Rivers said, via ESPN. "(The Lakers) have heard for probably the last two months how good (we) were going to be ... so you knew that they were going to play like this was the world champions - with that type of energy. And I thought we never matched it. Everything they did was harder than us and more physical than us."
The Warriors, meanwhile, were able to top the Lakers on Wednesday with a 125-94 win. Klay Thompson scored 38 points, and David Lee chipped in with 24. Stephen Curry shot just 40 percent from the field, including making 2-of-5 three pointers, for 10 points.
Golden State's defense stifled the Lakers' offense, but the team will have a tougher challenge on Thursday to limit the production of the Clippers' starters. A win against the Clips would be a strong, early statement that the Warriors are ready to compete for the Western Conference title.
"When we are clicking," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said, "we know how good we can be."
