Clippers open the season at home against Oklahoma City

Clippers point guard Chris Paul puts up a shot in front of Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook during Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals in May. The Clippers open the 2014-15 season against Oklahoma City on Oct. 30.

Aug. 13, 2014 4:19 PM PT

Doc Rivers and his Clippers team will open their 2014-15 season with a pair of back-to-back marquee games.

The Clippers start the season by playing host to the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, on Thursday, Oct. 30, at Staples Center at 7:30 p.m. The Thunder eliminated the Clippers in six games in their Western Conference semifinal series last spring.

Then the Clippers play a “road game” on Halloween, Friday, Oct. 31, at Staples Center against their hallway neighbors, the Lakers, at 7:30 p.m.

On Wednesday the NBA released the schedules for all 30 teams.

The Clippers, who have grown in popularity with All-Stars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, will again play on Christmas, when they face Pacific Division rival Golden State at Staples Center at 7:30 p.m.

The Clippers and Warriors have played numerous tense battles in the past two seasons, and the Clippers had to go to Game 7 to eliminate the Warriors in their first-round playoff series last May.

Other notable home games on the Clippers’ schedule: Monday, Nov. 10, against the defending champion San Antonio Spurs; Nov. 17 against Pau Gasol and his new team, the Chicago Bulls; and Friday, Jan. 16, against LeBron James and the new-look Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Clippers’ longest trip of the season is an eight-game swing, opening Jan. 28 at Utah and ending Feb. 9 at Dallas.

The Clippers close out their regular season April 14 at Phoenix.