Two teams at the opposite ends of the Western Conference playoff race square off to begin the NBA's second half Thursday night when the Los Angeles Clippers visit the Golden State Warriors. Surprisingly, it is the Clippers who will tip off the game with the better recent form of the two. The last time they visited Oakland, on Jan. 10, the Clippers were 18-21 and floundering in the West, already a full 14 games behind the Warriors in the Pacific Division.