The Los Angeles Clippers’ 109-107 victory on Tuesday over the Minnesota Timberwolves only further confirms a conviction that many around the NBA share: the rivalry between Kevin Love and Blake Griffin is one of the league’s best.

Arguably the two best power forwards in the NBA, Love and Griffin play two very different yet equally mesmerizing styles of basketball. Griffin’s combination of strength, agility, and aerial supremacy contrasts rather sharply to Love’s methodical, relentless assault on the boards and guard-like shooting ability. Both have fun off-court personas, but fierce, unwavering competitiveness when its game time. Both are the best at what they do, even though the way they go about getting the job done is very different. With Love only 25 years of age, and Griffin just 24, their intense rivalry is sure to captivate audiences for many more years to come.

Friends—and inevitably, rivals—since their high school days, Love and Griffin have walked different, yet similar paths to get where they are today. Both were highly touted coming out of the same high school graduating class, and both had stellar college campaigns. After one All-American season at UCLA, Love declared for the 2008 NBA draft, in which he was selected 5th overall by Memphis (and then traded to Minnesota for former USC stud OJ Mayo), while Griffin chose to stay an extra season in college to better prepare for the NBA.

Following the conclusion of his sophomore year, in which he was unanimously voted player of the year, at Oklahoma, Griffin was selected first overall by the Clippers in the 2009 draft. However, right before the season was set to begin, Griffin broke his kneecap, which resulted in him missing the entire 2009-2010 campaign. Thus, those eager to see how they would match up in the NBA had to wait for a second straight year.

The first year both players took the league by swarm was in 2010-2011, when Griffin made his long anticipated NBA debut and Love took huge strides in his 3rd professional season. Despite the difference in actual NBA experience between the two players, Griffin’s extra year of college ball and year of “observing” while injured were clearly beneficial, as Griffin averaged 22.5 points per game, 12.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. He was almost a weekly lock on the SportsCenter Top 10 for his ferocious poster dunks, recorded two triple-doubles, and won the Rookie of the Year award. You can watch each one of Griffin’s rookie-year dunks here:

Love, meanwhile, was coming off his first two solid but limited seasons during which he averaged 11.1 and 14.0 points, 9.1 and 11.0 rebounds, respectively, but was restricted by the presence of Al Jefferson, the lack of consistency at head coach—three coaches in two seasons—and his playing time: less than 30 minutes per game. However, during the 2010-2011 season, Love broke out, averaging 20.2 points per game, a league leading 15.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.7% from behind the 3-point line. While Griffin was earning recognition for his acrobatics above the rim, Love was controlling just about everything below it, as he had a 53-game double-double streak, the longest streak ever since the ABA and NBA merged in 1976. He also finished a November game against the Knicks with 31 points and 31 rebounds, the first time a player finished with a 30-30 game since Moses Malone in 1982.

The following season, while Griffin was very solid and once again averaged a double-double, with 20.7 pts and 10.9 rebounds, Love took a leap forward, averaging 26.0 pts and 13.3 rebounds, finishing 6th in the MVP voting at the end of the season, and spawning talk that he was the NBA’s best power forward. Both were voted to the All-NBA second team. However, unlike Love’s Timberwolves, Griffin’s Clippers made the playoffs, winning their first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies in 7 games before being swept in the second round by the San Antonio Spurs. During the postseason, Griffin averaged 19.1 points and 6.9 rebounds.

The 2012-2013 season was an “off-year” for both Love and Griffin. Love broke his hand before the beginning of the season, and was scheduled to miss at least 6-8 weeks. However, he returned early after missing just 5 and aside from a few games, mightily struggled, posting just 18.3 points and 14.0 rebounds per game while only shooting 35.2% from the field and 21.7% from the 3 point line. Many began to wonder if he had returned too early, and their concern was confirmed when after just 18 games, Love re-broke his hand and missed the rest of the season. Griffin also had a frustrating year. Despite being healthy, Griffin saw his points, rebounds, and minutes per game drop for the 2nd consecutive year, posting just 18.0 points and 8.3 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per game. Griffin sprained his ankle during the playoffs, recording just 13.2 points and 5.5 rebounds in 26 minutes as the Clippers were eliminated in the first round by Memphis.

Both players are clearly determined to rebound (pun intended) from last season’s disappointing outcome. Through 8 games, Griffin is averaging 22.1 points per game, grabbing 10.6 rebounds per game, and is shooting a career-high 57.1% from the floor, showing signs that he has improved his jump shot. Love is off to an even better start through his 8 games, averaging 26.4 points, 15.0 rebounds, and dishing out a career best 5.0 assists per game. He is clearly healthy and performing at an elite level, picking up where he left off in the 2011-2012 season, rather than last year. If Love can keep up this pace, he will likely continue to separate himself from the rest of the power forward pack, including Griffin.

When Love and Griffin match up head-to-head, however, an evenly matched story is told. Prior to the Clippers win over the Wolves on Monday night at Staples Center, Love and Griffin had split the 8 games in which they’ve match up, with 4 wins apiece. With Monday’s stats included, Griffin has averaged 25.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, while shooting 53.6% percent from the field and 60% from the free throw line. Love, on the other hand, has averaged 20.9 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, while shooting 44.3% from the field (38.9% from 3) and 80.6% from the line. In some respects, Griffin has slightly out-performed Love during their matchups.

Side note: Due to injuries, 6 of the 9 games played in their matchup have been played at Staples Center, only 3 have been in Minnesota.

To compare their matchups yourself, check out this link.

When Love and Griffin square off, audiences are in for a treat. In the 9 games they have played, only once has a) Griffin failed to score 20 or more points and b) Love failed to record a double-double. There have been plenty of exciting moments, from Griffin’s huge slams to Love’s game winner on national television, shown here

Monday’s game was no exception, as Love showcased his perimeter shooting while Griffin used his strength to get buckets inside. As their matchups have before, the game came down to the final buzzer as Love came up just short in attempt to tie it as time expired. You can watch highlights here

With both the Clippers and the Timberwolves standing with records of 5-3, there should be many great games between the two to come not only this season (playoffs, perhaps?) but for many years in the future. It will be interesting to see how Love and Griffin continue to grow as basketball players. Can Love finally lead his team to the playoffs? Will Griffin take huge strides and perhaps surpass Love one day? Will either of them learn how to play defense? If the two match up in the playoffs, who has the advantage? Feel free to comment below with your opinions.

As their pasts have indicated, however, one thing is for sure going forward: Kevin Love and Blake Griffin are worth watching.  

Reach Staff Writer Ben Albert here.