CLIPPERS NOTEBOOK: WORD IS, THEY KNOW THE DRILL.

Byline: JOE STEVENS Staff Writer

If there is a war of words between the Clippers and Denver Nuggets, Elton Brand took the posturing to a new level Friday.

"I dislike their whole team and staff," he said. "I like nobody over there, especially right now."

Actually, the straight-laced Brand was joking and trying to point out how silly a "war of words" is. For him, he is more focused on the fact he will be in the first playoff game of his career, after 526regular-season games.

Only six players in NBA history have gone longer without being in the playoffs - Tom Van Arsdale holds the record with 929 games.

"We don't want to just get here and be like, `OK, we're here,' " Brand said. "We want to get here and play hard and play well."

The Nuggets have a different perspective, having lost in the first round the past two seasons and drawing the Clippers in the first round.

In the Denver Post earlier this week, George Karl said: "I think we're in a great situation. We're not playing Tim Duncan. We're not playing Shaquille O'Neal. We're not playing a championship team. We're playing an inexperienced, good team."

Chris Kaman also said words that could border on disrespect.

When he was asked about the Clippers getting the sixth seed, he said: "Dallas would have been a much more difficult matchup for us. They're a tough matchup for anybody, and I think we match up better with these guys."

So is there a rivalry between the Clippers and Nuggets?

"It's starting to be like that a little bit because of the whole seeding situation and talk back and forth," Brand said.

"But you might not want to call it a rivalry yet."

--Looking to advance: When Cuttino Mobley came to the Clippers this past offseason, he was billed as a much-needed veteran for the team.

However, he isn't a veteran of the playoffs. He has 14games of postseason experience and never has advanced past the first round.

"I lost three times in the first round," he said. "I didn't get far. Sam (Cassell) at least got far, to win two championships in his first two years, lucky dog."

Of the series against Denver, Mobley said, "It will be a challenge for Sam, having so many young guys. It will be a challenge for me to get to the second round."

--Ready as ever: Coach Mike Dunleavy said the team's two-a-day practice session Friday went as planned. He was asked if he felt prepared, and he said he did.

"We've been through everything a couple times," he said. "We talked about different scenarios, offensively and defensively. I can't think of anything we haven't covered. You hope the retention is there."

--Healthy as ever: All of the Clippers, including Corey Maggette (herniated disc) and Vladimir Radmanovic (strained groin), are expected to be available for tonight's game.

Brand had a doctor's appointment Thursday to look into an earache.

He said he is fine, doesn't have an earache and the appointment was more of a routine checkup.

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Cuttino Mobley, left, has the right words for teammates Elton Brand and Chris Kaman during a Clippers game this season.

Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images