Warriors-Clippers becomes NBA West's best rivalry

Recommended Video:

Forget Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard or any team east of San Bernardino. The most appealing rivalry in the NBA's Western Conference - and probably the entire league - played out in that battle of words, bumps and sublime virtuosity between the Warriors and Clippers on Thursday night.

Some say the Warriors have the most complete starting five in the league. Nobody has quite as much fun as the Clippers when Blake Griffin turns a lob pass into thunderous dunk (on three straight possessions, as it happened). And it gets especially interesting when these two ascending teams fight their territorial battles.

Before the game, at a time when Christian players from both teams customarily share a chapel service together, the Clippers reportedly shut the Warriors out. Coach Mark Jackson, trying to get in Griffin's head (good idea; the kid is vulnerable), gave him a stern lecture after the two nearly collided on the sideline. And there was a brief but serious-looking scuffle between centers Andrew Bogut and DeAndre Jordan.

It's entirely possible these teams could meet for the conference championship - if not this season, then very soon - but each is far from a finished product. The Warriors can't get so badly outrebounded (44-33) or so careless with the ball (24 turnovers, 11 by Steph Curry), and they won't beat any good teams when Klay Thompson goes 3-for-7 from the floor.

The Clippers, meanwhile, are a bit uncomfortable with their identity. Knowing the playoffs bring a slower tempo and a grind-it-out mentality, Chris Paul told reporters over the summer that "Lob City doesn't exist anymore." That simply isn't true, so here's a talented, significantly improved team trying to deal with a transitional roadblock. (Amazing stat, courtesy of Deadspin: En route to last year's Finals, San Antonio executed exactly one lob pass for a dunk during the regular season. The Clippers led the league with 255.)

It really comes down to the collective genius of Curry and Paul, so different as point guards, so exceptionally pleasing to watch. These teams could play on a weekly basis and the show wouldn't get old.

Show some class

Referee Mark Ayotte, left, breaks up a scuffle between Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, right, and Golden State Warriors Andrew Bogut (not shown) with Clippers forward Blake Griffin, center, trying to keep the peace with Warriors forward David Lee, second from left, in the second quarter during an NBA basketball game on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) less Referee Mark Ayotte, left, breaks up a scuffle between Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, right, and Golden State Warriors Andrew Bogut (not shown) with Clippers forward Blake Griffin, center, trying ... more Photo: Alex Gallardo, Associated Press Photo: Alex Gallardo, Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Warriors-Clippers becomes NBA West's best rivalry 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

In an alarming but typical overreaction, NFL officials are said to be considering a radical form of punishment: wiping out a touchdown if the player in question taunts the opposition along the way. I'll admit, when it reaches the extreme - such as the pathetic gestures by Seattle's Golden Tate while scoring against the Rams on Monday night - it would be excellent to see the TD wiped out. But the notion is simply unrealistic, far too open to interpretation. I like Tony Kornheiser's solution better. On ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption," he suggested the offending team be forced to kick off from its own 5-yard line. That would sober up the clowns real quick ... Not a bad autumnal vacation for baseball-mad fans: visiting the Arizona Fall League (and by all means, stay in Scottsdale). Aside from the showcase of talent - including A's fast-rising shortstop Addison Russell and Giants prospects Kyle Crick, Andrew Susac and Angel Villalona - MLB intends to institute instant-replay testing in the games played at Scottsdale's Salt River Fields. The league runs through Nov. 14 ... Here's a fond farewell to Tim McCarver, one of the finest people I've ever met in baseball, as he leaves the Fox booth. McCarver drew widespread criticism for his late-in-career work, but he made the Hall of Fame's broadcasters wing on merit, particularly for his sterling work on the Mets' radio crew from 1983 to '98. He had an uncanny sense of anticipation, topped by his call for Fox in Game 7 of the 2001World Series. With the Diamondbacks' Luis Gonzalez batting in the ninth inning of a 2-2 tie and the Yankees' infield drawn in, McCarver questioned the strategy because the Yankees' Mariano Rivera "throws inside to left-handers, and they get a lot of broken-bat hits into the shallow part of the outfield." Gonzalez then won the game, and the Series, on a bloop single to shallow left-center . . . As Carlos Beltran becomes a focal point of the offseason - off to the highest bidder or staying with the Cardinals? - it's lamentable to recall his 44-game stint with the Giants two years ago. Even as he posted decent numbers, he had zero presence on the field or in the clubhouse and clearly didn't want to play in San Francisco. That version of Beltran wouldn't be welcome here again ... Jonny Gomes to USA Today as he and his bearded teammates ponder an invitation to the White House: "Once they find out about us, we may have to meet Obama at another location. I'm not sure they'll allow 25 of us into the White House at once."