Los Angeles Clippers

Hope all the LOS ANGELES Clippers fans don't get too pissed about this ... 'cause one of their own, DeAndre Jordan, is going AGAINST L.A. saying the Astros are gonna take the World Series.

FYI -- DeAndre is from Houston ... but still.

We got Benedict Arnold leaving the Dodgers game Tuesday night, decked out in Houston gear, and asked him if he's disappointed the Astros let a closeout opportunity slip through their fingers.

That's when Judas told us he wasn't concerned at all, and that his Astros were just trying to make things interesting by taking it to 7.

Hey DeAndre, if you love Houston so much why don't you marry it?

A blowout game ain't gonna come between Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan's friendship ... 'cause the 2 baller buddies grabbed dinner together after the Warriors beat up on the Clippers Monday night.

K.D. and Jordan hit up Catch LA around 11 PM after the Dubs destroyed the Clips 141-113 at Staples Center ... and Jordan was all smiles despite the loss.

Catch appears to be the go-to spot when DJ's friends are in town ... the All-Star center's also been spotted there with his pals Jimmy Butler and Russell Westbrook after games.

Lonzo Ball should thank Clippers PG Patrick Beverley for giving him the business Thursday night ... 'cause in the long-run, it's really a good thing -- so says Master P.

We got P -- a HUGE NBA fan -- droppin' knowledge on Lonzo's debut at LAX ... telling us the Lakers rookie will only get better when grinders like Beverley beat him up.

The good news for Lonzo ... he's gonna get it all season long -- there's a LONG LIST of NBA stars looking to take a piece of his ass.

John Wall saw this coming from a mile away ... telling us back in Feb. that NBA players like Patrick Beverley are gonna come for Lonzo Ball all season long to "leave a statement."

He was right.

Back when LaVar Ball was first firing up the Lonzo-hype machine, we spoke with Wall about how LaVar's braggadocious statements could affect the Lakers rookie on the court.

Wall told us LaVar's comments would add "fuel to the fire" for Lonzo's opponents, explaining:

"A lot of people try to leave a statement, you know let 'em know how the league is ... especially if they're gonna be going against him for the next couple years."

Beverley was DEFINITELY trying to send a message Thursday night -- beating up on Lonzo the entire game in a dominating Clippers victory.

And it sounds like it ain't gonna get easier for Ball as the season moves along ...

What did Snoop Dogg think of Lonzo Ball's NBA debut??

"I think his father put him in the lion's den with some pork-chop drawers on."

Snoop kept it all the way real on Kevin Garnett's "Area 21" post-game show -- after Lonzo managed just 3 points against the Clippers in the Lakers' home opener.

Check out the clip -- Snoop thinks Lonzo can be good, but he needs to change his attitude ASAP or he'll continue to get stomped by guys like Patrick Beverley.

KG ain't ready to throw in the towel on Lonzo either -- but says Ball is already at a crossroads and needs to make some serious life choices.

Seems Kendall Jenner is already close enough with Blake Griffin to join in on steak night with his boys.

The L.A. Clippers star and 3 of his guy friends hit up the Ocean Prime steak and seafood house in Bev Hills on Wednesday night ... with Kendall rounding out the group.

Blake and Kendall have been hanging out for a couple of months now ... so no reason not to invite her along, right?

So, when does Blake get his invite to girl's night?

L.A. Clippers forward Danilo Gallinari tells TMZ Sports the thumb he busted while punching a guy in Italy is healing nicely ... he's almost ready play again!

The 28-year-old suffered the injury last month -- right after he signed his 3-year $65 million deal -- when he socked a player from the Netherlands during a European exhibition game for Italy.

The good news ... Gallinari says the thumb is "very good" -- and he expects to use it to help the Clippers win a championship this year!

Doc Rivers just lost his Clippers front office job -- relinquishing his role as Pres. of Basketball Operations -- but remains on as head basketball coach, the Clippers announced.

The Clips released a statement announcing the changes Friday morning ... saying former NBA coach, and team exec. Lawrence Frank would step in and assume Doc's front office job.

The team pointed out, "Frank and Rivers will be peers in the Clippers' structure, each reporting directly to owner Steve Ballmer."

Until now, Doc had overseen the selection, signing, and development of players ... as well as the coaching duties.

In other words, there was a lot on his plate.

File Under: "Too Little, Too Late"

Kevin Hart wants his good friend, Chris Paul, to stay in Los Angeles so badly, he's using his own money to convince him to back out of the Rockets deal.

Didn't work though.

Kev and CP3 hit up Madeo for dinner -- and on the way out, Hart whipped out his wallet to pay for Paul's valet ... telling his pal, "Don't leave L.A., Chris!"

Chris smiled and told Kev, "Don't do that."

Obviously, that ship has sailed -- Chris signed with the Houston Rockets after 6 seasons with the Clippers.

Clippers rookie and SEC hoops star Sindarius Thornwell had a seriously funny run-in with cops in South Carolina -- but he's probably not laughing about the fact it ended up on live TV!

It all went down Friday night on the A&E show "Live PD" ... when police pulled over Sindarius' gf for speeding. Apparently, she was chasing him at the time, and Sindarius -- rocking a Clippers t-shirt -- stopped too when she got pulled over.

The hysterical part came when the officer recognized Sindarius -- he was SEC player of the year for the Gamecocks, after all. The cop said, "I know you from somewhere. Where you work at?"

ST's response ... "I don't got a job."

Why so shy? Well, Sindarius juuust signed his rookie contract on Thursday, and probably didn't want to rock the boat. He even tried to hide his Clippers tee from the cop.

To be clear -- cops had no issue with Sindarius, just his gf ... who apparently was riding around with all HIS stuff in the car.

It's summertime ... so, here's DeAndre Jordan teaming up with his best party pal, Kevin Durant, to celebrate his birthday in Vegas ... with a guest appearance by one of the hottest DJs in the world.

DeAndre and his brothers hit up the Encore Beach Club at the Wynn in Vegas to celebrate the Clippers star's 29th birthday.

The NBA superstars kicked it with Diplo at the DJ booth -- they also had 3 cabanas for their party crew.

Sources at the party tell us the guys sipped on everything from Don Julio 1942 to Ciroc and even some Moet Nectar Champagne.

From what we're told, everyone had a blast -- despite the blistering 108 DEGREE temperature day!

By the way, KD and DJ are pretty tight off the court -- last summer, they traveled to Greece together after the Olympic gold medal victory to celebrate with a bunch of hot chicks in bikinis.

Rap star Kid Ink better hope the L.A. Clippers can win without Chris Paul next year, 'cause if they don't ... he's gonna become a walking TMZ billboard!!

The "Supersoaka" spitter is a HUGE Clips fan! Our camera guy, a big Miami Heat supporter. So when we ran into K.I. out in NYC, we tested his confidence in the team with a wager:

If the Clippers finish with a better record than the Heat next season, our photog will have to get a tattoo of Kid Ink's Batgang crew logo permanently etched on him. But if the Clips end up below Miami in the win column, the rapper's gotta get the TMZ logo tatted on him!!

FYI -- the MIA won 41 games last season. The LAC, 51 ... but that was with CP3.

For being such high stakes, the dude doesn't seem worried one bit. On the other hand, he already has like, a million tattoos. So what's one more?

DeAndre Jordan is riding hard for Lamar Odom -- not only reconnecting with the guy, but giving him one of the best compliments you can get in team sports.

Earlier this week, DJ and Odom hit the L.A. nightclub scene -- lookin' like old times when they played on the Clippers together.

So, when DJ was leaving the ESPYs on Wednesday night, we asked how Lamar was doing after all he's gone through over the last few years.

"That's my guy," DeAndre said ... "He's one of the best teammates I ever had."

Seems just about everyone in the NBA feels that way about Lamar -- from Kobe to Metta -- and they've all offered to help Lamar get his life back together.

Blake Griffin rolled out the welcome wagon for one of his new Clippers teammates last night -- taking Sam Dekker and his ridiculously attractive fiancee to a fancy dinner in Bev Hills.

BG and his girlfriend/baby mama, Brynn Cameron, hit up Georgio Baldi with Dekker and his fiancee Olivia Harlan early Tuesday evening before attending a Players' Tribune party.

Dekker was drafted by the Houston Rockets but became a Clipper as part of the Chris Paul deal.

Welcome to L.A.

"Business and basketball are two different things. They say don't take it personal, but everybody does." -- Austin Rivers on Chris Paul.

The Clippers star was at LAX when it kept it 100 about the situation involving his former teammate -- telling TMZ Sports he's happy for the guy, but it's gonna get intense when they face the Houston Rockets next season.

"You saw what happened when the Warriors played the Thunder this year. There was a lot of emotion in there."

"I don't think it'll be quite like that but it'll definitely be a lot of fireworks that game if I had to take a guess."

Doc Rivers says reports he shot down an opportunity to deal away his son, Austin Rivers, for Carmelo Anthony are pure BS ... telling TMZ Sports bluntly, "That's not true."

The Clippers honcho was leaving Madeo in Bev Hills Wednesday night when we asked if Chris Paul's departure meant it was a "sad day" for the team.

"I don't know if it's sad or not," Rivers said ... "We'll find that out."

He praised Paul as a "great Clipper" and added, "I wish Chris well."