
Warriors CEO Joe Lacob on Friday removed all doubt that the animosity between the Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers is genuine and that it runs deep.
Lacob, in an interview with Tom Tolbert and Ray Ratto on KNBR, didn’t mince words when discussing his feelings about the Warriors’ SoCal rival.
“We don’t like ‘em,” Lacob said. “It’s true. We don’t like ‘em and I can’t wait to play them.”
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The Warriors and Clippers, expected for battle for Pacific Division supremacy, have their first meeting of the season Wednesday night at Oracle Arena. The teams face off again on Nov. 19 at Staples Center.
The Clippers’ reputation for flopping and complaining to referees has resulted in the widespread perception that they are, for lack of a better term, drama queens. Stars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul get the brunt of that blowback.
Lacob’s comments came one day after Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins said of the Clippers: “I hate them. Honestly, I do. I hate them.”
“Come on, everybody feels that way,” Lacob said. “It’s not just us.”
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The nastiness between the Warriors and Clippers was on display as recently as Oct. 20, when they met for a preseason game. There were a total of eight technical fouls, five on Los Angeles and three on the Warriors.
Clipper point guard Chris Paul was ejected for arguing with referees.
So Warriors-Clippers intrigue, always high, will be ramped up to another level next Wednesday.