Vincent Frank
There are rivalries that are just that—rivalries in name only. And then there are real rivalries. Teams and players that just don’t like one another. It makes for a fun outing when real rivalry games take place.
In the NBA, there is no more heated rivalry than that between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers.
So when a player speaks out publicly about an individual on the opposite end of the rivalry, it’s important to listen up.
That happened on Wednesday when Warriors forward Draymond Green threw some pretty interesting jabs the Clippers’ way.
They (the Clippers) have a cocky arrogance, like they’ve won something, and they haven’t done nothing,” Green said, via Grantland. “They pretty much been to the same spot in the playoffs we’ve been to. But they have this cockiness like you’re supposed to bow down to them. They ain’t proved nothing. They ain’t earned nothing. What respect have you earned?”
Besides the fact that Golden State hasn’t won a darn thing either, Green is 100 percent correct here. The Clippers were ousted by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals last season. However, Doc Rivers and company did eliminate the Warriors in the first round prior to falling to the Thunder.
For his part, Green has been at the forefront of the rivalry:
Seemingly on a collision course to meet again this postseason, it appears that Green is ratcheting up the public rhetoric against the Clippers. And despite a rare two-game losing streak, Golden State still boasts the best record in basketball at a ridiculous 63-15 clip.
As of right now, the Clippers boast the fifth seed in the Western Conference. This would pit them against Golden State in the conference semis should both teams advance.
And let’s be honest here for a second. Who doesn’t want that?
Photo: USA Today Images
