Matt Barnes Says There's 'No Nightlife in Utah,' Warriors Wanted Clippers Series

It's not unusual for a team to root for a weaker opponent to advance in the playoffs. What is strange, however, is for the top seed to be concerned about the off-court activities when considering a series.

The Golden State Warriors reportedly hoped the Los Angeles Clippers would beat the Utah Jazz in the first round, but mostly due to the postgame activities.

"There's no nightlife in Utah," Matt Barnes explained, per Chris Haynes of ESPN.com. "Obviously as players, you want to be able to have a little bit of a nightlife, but the main focus is winning games. Me personally, I want to get out there because I want to beat the Clippers. That's my former team, and my kids are out there. But as far as nightlife, there's no comparison to nightlife in Utah and L.A."

The Jazz won their first-round series in seven games and begin their second-round series with the Warriors on Tuesday.

Barnes has had his share of off-court issues, but he is apparently not alone in hoping for more fun away from the game.

"The problem with Utah is that you're just sitting there and your mind is like dead, because in L.A., you still got energy for the game," Andre Iguodala said. "Because you're in L.A., you're like, 'Man, this is just the vibe in L.A.' but in Utah, it can kind of lull you to sleep."

Kevin Durant added that he has never been to a club in Utah.

Despite the disappointment among the players, the coaching staff is likely happy to see fewer distractions among the players. With the league's No. 1 scoring defense, the Jazz won't be an easy second-round opponent for the Warriors.

The latest comments also serve as bulletin board material for Utah players and fans over the course of the series.