Doc Rivers/Photo courtesy of Associated Press

Doc Rivers really wasn’t looking forward to going to China this week for games Saturday and next Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets. He could hardly be blamed, as the eight-day trip – the Clippers left Wednesday morning – will be draining and will cut into practice time less than three weeks before the season-opener Oct. 28 at Sacramento.

It was therefore no surprise to hear Rivers respond the way he did when asked what he was most looking forward to on the trip.

“Looking forward to?” he said, repeating the question. “The flight? Coming back? I don’t know. I mean, we’re going to find something.”

The flight is roughly 15 hours each way. That’s not to mention there will be a couple of more hours in the air when the Clippers travel from Shenzhen to Shanghai, where the two games will be played.

Since this is a trip mandated by the NBA, there will be a full itinerary – especially on days when the team doesn’t play.

“There is something every night,” Rivers said. “I don’t know if I like that or not, but there is something. One of those things will be good for the team. I don’t know which one, but there will be.”