NBA Predictions 2013-14 – Chris Paul For MVP? LA Lakers Vs LA Clippers ‘Not Yet A Rivalry’– Doc Rivers

After covering the championship banners of the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center, we see another manifestation of Doc Rivers' influence. Will his guidance lead Chris Paul to a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award?

Doc Rivers was portrayed as arrogant and presumptuous by Lakers fans. However, most observers thought that he was just a person who could get things done.

Clippers fans and players have already suggested that, because playing under another teams' banners is not really too inspiring. Clearly, Rivers will do everything that he can to keep his players motivated and focused.

He doesn't want any distractions, that's why he is downplaying the move, and rumors of a Lakers vs. Clippers rivalry, Speaking with ESPN LA, he says: "The Lakers have been pretty dominant.  We've won as of late. It's going to take us a lot more to call it a rivalry, honestly. We have to do a lot more stuff and then we can call it a rivalry. I don't think we've done enough yet.

"[We have to] have won a lot in the playoffs. They can say that. We can't. It's tough for me. I got to give them that respect. That's the respect we have to earn. They've already earned that through history. We haven't. That's something we have to earn."

Chris Kaman, who was drafted by the Clippers in 2003 and is now with the Lakers also shared his thoughts with ESPN:  "It's changed over the last 10 years since I've been in the league. At the start there (with the Clippers), we practiced at a community college in the hood. It's come a long ways. I respect what they're doing and what they've done. Still, there's nothing like the Lakers. I mean, you look up here with all the championships, they're never going to have that. It's never going to happen. I don't see it."

Chris Paul, arguably the best point guard in the NBA and the Clippers' leader, also chimes in: "I remember when I first got here everybody was saying how is it a rivalry if only one team ever wins. [Byron] Scott used to tell me rivalries form when you play teams in the playoffs and we haven't played them in the playoffs."

Paul was the Clippers coach on the court. Last year, their coach Vinny Del Negro was criticized and didn't seem to earn the respect of his star player. That takes a 360 degree turn, as Paul personally requested and recruited Doc Rivers to coach the Clippers. Now that he has a coach he respects, a coach with an actual title, will Chris Paul make the leap and become the league's Most Valuable Player?