The A's just took two of three from the L.A.-ish Anaheim Angels. The Giants secured their second straight series win over the L.A. Dodgers, overtook them for 1st place, and will go for a series sweep today. And the San Jose Sharks will host (and destroy) the L.A. Kings tonight to open the first round of the NHL playoffs. Everything is as it should be in California, and this weekend the harmony will continue when the Warriors travel to L.A. to begin their six-game march to the second-round.

Last night, the Golden State Warriors received confirmation on who they would be facing in the first-round of the NBA playoffs: the L.A. Clippers. First, a quick look back on where these two storied franchises have been for the past 20 years: no where, that's where. Since the debut of Nas' Illmatic album almost 20 years ago today, both the Warriors and Clippers have been the punching bags and punchlines of the NBA — until now. The Clippers emerged as a respectable team in 2011/2012 and became a truly scary team this year. The Dubs followed suit, making the playoffs last year and returning to the post-season this year as a team no one wants to face. For the past 20 years, these two teams' stunted peaks and vast valleys have been near-mirror images, and this weekend will see the NBA's least likeliest but most anticipated playoff matchup: the Dubs v. the Clips.

What You Need To Know:

The Clippers are an offensive machine.
They finished the season with the most points scored because they're very efficient when they have the ball (3rd in the NBA in field goal percentage and points per shot). The Warriors, though scoring fewer points overall, get them in bunches. The Dubs were 6th in 3-point attempts and 2nd in 3-pointers made. Where the Clips are defined by devastating dunks in the paint, the Dubs make the splashy 3's from behind the arc.

Our Steph Curry and their Chris Paul.
Those are the only two possible answers to the question of who is the best point-guard in the NBA. Seeing these two guard, pass, orchestrate their offenses, and drive through each other for up to 7 straight games will be the reason why we'll all lie in 20 years and say we were there to watch it in person.

These two teams hate each other.
They're both escaping the miasma of where they've been and are getting in the way of the other in getting to where they got to go. Do not for a second be surprised to see hard fouls, technical fouls, flagrant fouls, fights, or ejections in this series. In fact, be surprised if you don't see them.

The Dubs have lost their big man, the Clips have one of the league's best.
Andrew Bogut has a fractured rib and will be forced to sit out the entire post-season. That's a damned shame because the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan has become one of the best centers in the game and without Bogut, the Warriors' chances of winning have annoyingly dropped like a Skrillex beat. So annoying.

Game 1: Saturday, Apr. 19, at L.A., 12:30 PM
Game 2: Monday, Apr. 21, at L.A., 7:30 PM
Game 3: Thursday, Apr. 24, home at the Roaracle, 7:30 PM
Game 4: Sunday, Apr. 27, home at the Roaracle, 12:30 PM
Game 5: Tuesday, Apr. 29, at L.A., time TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Thursday, May 1, home at the Roaracle, time TBD (if necessary)(Warriors win series)
Game 7: Saturday, May 3, at L.A., time TBD (if necessary)(will not be necessary)