Don’t tell the Clippers a preseason game against the Warriors doesn’t count

The verbal sparring was so entertaining in the rivalry between the Clippers and Golden State Warriors that one truth had been obscured.

The best retort will always come on the court.

The Clippers spoke with their intensity and execution Tuesday night at Staples Center, albeit in a preseason game against a severely short-handed opponent.

Blake Griffin and Chris Paul were super feisty throughout the Clippers’ 130-95 victory over the Warriors, playing as if the game had far more meaning than an exhibition between teams that had not faced each other in nearly seven months.

Griffin scored 23 of his 29 points in the first half and Paul provided a response to NBA general managers who no longer consider him the league’s best point guard by collecting 10 assists to go with seven points before being ejected early in the third quarter after picking up a second technical foul.

“We take their lead,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said of his stars, “and when they’re intense, then everybody is.”

League executives had ended Paul’s unofficial three-year reign as the top point guard in their anonymous annual survey, supplanting him with Golden State’s Stephen Curry. The defending NBA most valuable player seemed to find the results humorous after receiving 55.2% of the vote to Paul’s 24.1%.

“It was funny,” Curry said before sitting out the game to rest, “because last year I was like the third-best shooting guard.”

Paul, an eight-time All-Star who turned 30 in May, did win three categories in the survey — best passer (71.4%), highest basketball IQ (46.4%) and most likely to make the best head coach (25.0%).

Paul certainly looked like he was still in his prime in the second quarter when he zipped a no-look pass to J.J. Redick underneath the basket for a layup and followed with a three-pointer.

Paul’s game ended prematurely after he received a second technical foul for telling an official, “I’ve got two kids of my own, don’t talk to me like a little kid.”

Griffin made 11 of 18 shots, including a hanging, over-the-shoulder layup in which he exhibited impressive control of his body after being fouled by Draymond Green. Griffin also picked up a technical foul, one of eight in the game between both teams.

“That’s the only negative of the game,” Rivers said. “That’s way too many techs in one game.”

The teams avoided any real flare-ups after recent verbal clashes over Rivers’ assessment that luck was involved in the Warriors’ winning the NBA title because they didn’t have to face the Clippers or San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs.

The Clippers’ second unit showed some promise for the first time in the preseason. Austin Rivers (16 points) invigorated fans in the third quarter by driving into the lane for a two-handed dunk as James Michael McAdoo strangely moved aside.

Josh Smith had two blocks to go with his 13 points, and Jamal Crawford resembled the player who was twice the NBA’s sixth man of the year with 13 points.

Lance Stephenson had only four points and three assists in his first start for the Clippers but had some strong moments defensively on Golden State’s Klay Thompson.

Thompson finished with 21 points for the Warriors, who were also missing Andre Iguodala (rest), Andrew Bogut (broken nose) and Kevon Looney (right hip surgery).

Golden State was even without its coach as Steve Kerr continued his leave to recuperate from back surgery.

Interim Coach Luke Walton said he didn’t mind the festering animosity between his team and the Clippers.

“As long as it doesn’t ever get dirty,” Walton said, “I think it’s great for the league and for the fans and people enjoy watching it.”

Follow Ben Bolch on Twitter @latbbolch