Doc Rivers Compares Clippers to Warriors, Talks Team Expectations

Despite the Golden State Warriors adding Kevin Durant to their ranks this past summer, Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers remains confident his team can match up with the reigning Western Conference champions.

"I think we can play with anybody, and we don't feel like there's a gap," Rivers said Monday at the Clippers' media day, per ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne. "That's all we have to prove, and I think everyone has to prove that."

He also alluded to the failure of recent superteams to reach expectations right out of the gate: "I know history very well in this league, and there's been a lot of superteams put together, quote-unquote, superteams, and I know the history. I feel comfortable where we're at."

The 2010-11 Miami Heat and 2014-15 Cleveland Cavaliers both fell short in the NBA Finals after significantly retooling their rosters prior to the start of the aforementioned seasons.

With that said, Rivers knows firsthand how quickly a franchise's fortunes can change in one offseason. In 2006-07, the Boston Celtics won 24 games. They added Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen the following offseason and won a title in 2007-08.

Unlike the Heat and Cavaliers, the Warriors didn't have a significant overhaul, either; they merely added one of this generation's best scorers to a team that won an NBA-record 73 games last year.

The Clippers are among Golden State's top challengers in 2016-17, and Los Angeles has the talent to beat Golden State on any given night.

Since head coach Steve Kerr joined the Warriors two years ago, however, his team owns a 7-1 head-to-head record over the Clippers. In a seven-game series between the two teams, the Warriors would be heavy favorites as long as they're healthy.

Of course, Rivers stands to gain little from questioning his team's championship chances, especially on media day.

A fifth straight 50-plus win season should be in store for the Clippers; their over/under is 53.5, according to Odds Shark. Fans counting on a Finals triumph in 2016-17 are likely to be disappointed, though.