There’s a new rivalry brewing in California, and it’s between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers.
With both teams facing high expectations this season and looking to lead the Pacific Division, tempers flared as the teams faced each other for the first time on Thursday night.
Things got interesting in the first half when the level of physicality grew between Andrew Bogut and DeAndre Jordan. The two eventually had enough of each other and got into a shoving match:
(h/t HardwoodParoxysm)
Roy Hibbert, who got into a scuffle with David Lee and Stephen Curry last season, saw the action and had this to say:
Bogut n Jordan should stay between Bogut n Jordan. Didn’t see any point guards run up.
— Roy Hibbert (@Hoya2aPacer) November 1, 2013
There was a bit of everything in this one, as even Mark Jackson got into it with Blake Griffin:
Things only got better from there, as Chris Paul and Curry went on to put on a ridiculous show. Paul was simply unstoppable with 42 points, 15 assists and six steals. Curry struggled with handling the ball – he had a career-high 11 turnovers – but started to feel his shot and went on to score 38 points, including nine-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc. Curry was so unconscious that he even shot a 3-pointer on a three-on-one fastbreak and ended up with a four-point play. It wouldn’t be enough, however, as the Warriors ultimately fell 126-115.
Players and media members around the league saw all the action and had plenty to say about what they saw:
Enjoyable game. CP3 was out of his mind. Steph Curry almost finished with a quadruple double: 38 pts, 9 threes, 9 assists, 10 turnovers.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) November 1, 2013
CP is the closet player I’ve seen to Isiah! #NBA — JALEN ROSE (@JalenRose) November 1, 2013
Great point guard battle — Brandon Rush (@BRush_25) November 1, 2013
Love it.
— Steve Nash (@SteveNash) November 1, 2013
Tough lost.. On to the next one!!! Gsw
— Marreese Speights (@Mospeights16) November 1, 2013
This Curry Paul matchup is ridiculous. — Steve Kerr (@SteveKerrTNT) November 1, 2013
3 on 1. wow
— Kendall Marshall (@KButter5) November 1, 2013
Stephen Curry single-handedly keeping the Warriors alive. He’s 7 for 10 on threes. — J.A. Adande (@jadande) November 1, 2013
@CP3 42pts 15ast 5stl @StephenCurry30 38pts 9ast #NBA #Classic #wow Fun game to watch!!!!!! — Mateen Cleaves (@Mateen_Cleaves) November 1, 2013
Battled. Fought. Just have to play smarter. On me! God is great. On to the next!
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) November 1, 2013
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James Park is the chief blogger of Sheridan Hoops. You can find him on twitter @SheridanBlog.