LA Clippers: 5 Most Anticipated Games Of The Season
1. Golden State Warriors-November 04
May 1, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles the basketball against Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32, left) during the first quarter in game six of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Clippers 100-99. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The Conference Finals that should have been.
After overcoming the defending champion Spurs and coming one win away from defeating the Rockets, it seemed that another playoff series between the Clippers and Warriors was all but penciled in.
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While Houston derailed those plans, it also deprived fans of a rematch of the last series between the teams in which the Clippers prevailed over Golden State in seven games.
What makes this match-up exciting is that it’s the biggest rivalry in the NBA today.
The teams would not sit in chapel together when they had a game on Sunday morning; what more needs to be said about the level of animosity between the two?
For the Clippers, there’s the sentiment that if they had made it to the Conference Finals they would have prevailed over their rivals again. There’s plenty of support to the fact as they were playing even better basketball than the year prior and had the tougher road to the title game in the west.
On the Warriors end, they did the only thing they could do. They defeated the teams in front of them in decisive fashion.
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With the championship on the line, the Warriors put on a show for the ages and overcame an absolutely phenomenal performance from LeBron James to prove they were the best team in the league and win the franchise’s first championship in over 40 years.
Golden State is aware that they didn’t have to face their rivals to reach the title, but reigning MVP Stephen Curry and Co. also undoubtedly believe that they would have defeated them also if they were in their way.
The fact that they are facing the reigning champions, in the now renowned Oracle Arena, with Curry and Chris Paul dueling to prove who the best point-guard in the NBA is, the Clippers-Warriors match-up looks to be the most anticipated game(s) of their year.