NBA News: Clippers, Warriors rivalry heats up as Andrew Bogut burns Doc Rivers

The rivalry between Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors, two of Western Conference’s powerhouse teams, has heated up as early as the NBA preseason. Clippers coach Doc Rivers’ recent claims about the Warriors being lucky to get through to the West and win the NBA championship did not sit well with some of Golden State’s players, including Andrew Bogut.

Rivers told Grantland’s Zach Lowe that the Warriors needed luck in the Western Conference to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals, having avoided the Clippers and San Antonio Spurs in the playoff seeding. While Rivers’ statement was not necessarily incorrect, his comments sparked replies from the Warriors, with Bogut being the latest to burn the former Boston Celtics head coach.

"I’ve actually got my ring fitted for my middle finger so they can kiss that one,” Bogut told KNBR . “It’s one thing taking it from a team that’s won a championship, taking those kind of criticisms, but from a team that hasn’t is kind of dead air."

Half of the Splash Brothers was also in the mix to fire back at Rivers’ indirect sledge to the 2015 NBA champs. Klay Thompson told CSN Bay Area how the Clippers fell to the Houston Rockets in their Western Conference semifinal showdown.

“I wanted to play the Clippers last year, but they couldn’t handle their business,” Thompson said. “If we got lucky, look at our record against them last year. I’m pretty sure we smacked them.”

Golden State breezed into the NBA Finals, defeating New Orleans Pelicans, a depleted Memphis Grizzlies, and a battered Rockets team that overcame Clippers after trailing their playoff series 3-1.

The Warriors took three of the four regular season meetings against the Clippers last year. The only defeat Golden State had was the Christmas Night game against the Clippers, when the NBA champs were defeated 100-86.

The Warriors will host the Clippers on Nov. 4 and Mar. 23, and will visit Staples Centre on Nov. 19 and Feb. 20.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au , or let us know what you think below.