Grizzlies vs. Clippers preview: Los Angeles opens the season at home against Memphis

The Los Angeles Clippers will open the season 2012-13 season against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday as both teams aspire to return to the playoffs this season.

The Clippers finished 40-26 last season, which placed them second in the Pacific Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. The Clippers defeated the Grizzlies in seven games in the first round of the 2012 playoffs before being swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round.

The Clippers are returning their core of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan while revamping their bench by adding Jamal Crawford, Grant Hill and Matt Barnes in the off-season.

The Grizzlies are returning their same starting five as last season, as they hope a healthy Zach Randolph can catapult them back to their 2010-11 status, when they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games in the second round of the playoffs.

Memphis also replaced O.J. Mayo with Jerryd Bayless and Wayne Ellington on the bench this season.