Doc Rivers/Photo by Associated Press

The Clippers left Wednesday morning for China, where they will play the Charlotte Hornets in exhibition games Oct. 10 and Oct. 14. Coach Doc Rivers this week recalled when he took his Boston Celtics to Rome for training camp for the 2007-08 season, which ended with the Celtics winning the NBA title.

“There were so many things in Rome, that we had great practices,” Rivers said. “But going to the Vatican, going to the Coliseum, I mean, it was like warrior stuff. It was like, you couldn’t have scripted a more perfect place for a team that had championship aspirations to go to.”