J.J. Redick critiques Klay Thompson

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers have yet to play against each other this postseason, but they've already commenced trading shots.

The crosstalk continued on Friday, as Golden State coach Mark Jackson responded to a barb from Clippers guard J.J. Redick about Warriors guard Klay Thompson's defense. 

"I didn't know that J.J. Redick was a player coach," Jackson said. "Is he speaking on behalf of Doc Rivers?"

At Clippers practice on Friday in Playa Vista, Calif., Redick discussed the Clippers' offensive strategy against the Warriors' perimeter defenders.

"If Klay [Thompson] guards Chris [Paul], Chris is going to be in about 4,200 pick-and-rolls a game," Redick said. "We want Klay to be in those pick-and-rolls. Klay and Andre [Iguodala] are great defenders so as much as we can wear those guys down that would be great."

Told about Redick's comments, Jackson took the opportunity to praise perennial All-Star Chris Paul before firing a salvo in Redick's direction.

"Chris Paul's a heck of a player, future Hall of Famer," Jackson said. "He's an all-time great. I'm not sitting there saying we have a Chris Paul stopper, so it really doesn't matter. At the end of the day he's going to create challenges -- not as many as if J.J. Redick was guarding him. But he's going to create some challenges for our defense and any defense."

Thompson has found himself in the middle of the chatter this week between the two teams, who face off in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday in Los Angeles (3:30 ET, ABC).

On Wednesday, the normally reserved Thompson critiqued Clippers forward Blake Griffin's style of play, telling "The Wheelhouse" on 95.7 The Game radio in San Francisco: "He flairs his arm around so, you know, you might catch a random elbow or something that doesn't, you know, rub off too well on guys. He's kind of like a bull in a china shop, kind of out of control sometimes. And then you do just see him flop sometimes, like how can a guy that big and strong flop that much."

Asked about Redick's comments, Thompson simply stated: "Up for the challenge."

When asked why Redick specifically mentioned Thompson's defense, Thompson's analysis on Friday was, "Probably because I've guarded him in the past," followed by, "Each matchup we've played them, I've guarded him, I've matched up against Chris Paul, every time."