LA Clippers coach Doc Rivers says nothing will distract the team in its goal to win an NBA title.
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00:00 The LA Clippers have only just arrived in Orlando, but according to head coach Doc Rivers,
00:04 the team is already laser focused on competing. On a conference call with the Porters on Friday
00:08 afternoon, Rivers said that his team is "on a mission to win this year's NBA title." He said,
00:14 "It's awkward for everybody, but we've decided to come here. We all had to make an individual
00:17 decision to come down to Orlando. Once we got here, we decided this is our mission. We're just here,
00:22 try down all that stuff that distracts us from our goal." Rivers also said that the team is
00:27 "going to learn a lot about what it takes, what they're willing to put up with to achieve that
00:30 goal." Rivers has been a key motivator for the Clippers since the NBA was shut down back in
00:34 March, calling the term "win the weight," keeping the team focused while they're all stuck in their
00:38 homes during the break. Now as the team prepares to enter into an entirely unprecedented situation,
00:43 Rivers says that this is nothing more than a business trip. That said, he understands that
00:46 it will take some time before players are back in shape, saying, "Once we're on the floor,
00:51 we do our jobs. That'll take some time as well. It's not normal to start in the back,
00:55 usually going to training camp. Guys have been scrimmaging for three to four weeks.
00:58 They've been playing, shooting on hoops. That's not happening. Some of the guys have not touched
01:02 a basketball or seen a gym until two weeks ago. A lot of work to be done on both ends."
01:07 LA will play its first scrimmage game on July 22nd and will scrub for two other teams before
01:11 kicking off the season again with a marquee matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on July 30th.