Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers has no problem admitting L.A. will always be a "Lakers town," but he does have an issue with the Lakers taking credit for the five NBA titles the franchise won when based in Minneapolis.
"They have how many titles that they've won here? You know, they claim them all, but they only won a certain amount here," Rivers told The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears. "I will say that. That actually bugs me a little bit. ... Having said that, that's generations of loyalty."
The Clippers have played second fiddle to the Lakers since relocating from San Diego in 1984. They've had 24 losing seasons in 35 years and never reached the conference finals.
But after the offseason additions of superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Clippers have never been better positioned to end that drought. If the Clippers can fulfill their championship aspirations this season, Rivers hopes it'll usher in a new era all their own.
"I look at us as, we're creating our own movement. … We're not trying to take away shine from the other," Rivers said. "We've got our own thing going. I never thought we could get our own thing going. That was what I was so frustrated with being here. And now we got our own thing going."
The Lakers and Clippers square off in an opening-night battle Tuesday at the Staples Center.
