Warriors vs Spurs: April 6, 2015: Hard game or gimme?

[tmtcsc]

On April 6, the Spurs will face the GSW at the ATT Center. The Spurs are obviously chasing a better playoff seed but the Warriors have clinched HCA.

Does Stever Kerr:

A. Rest his starters and help the Spurs get the 2nd or 3rd seed?

B. Play all out in hopes of winning and gaining a psychological edge?

C. Doesn't really matter

[look_at_g_shred]

He will rest them.

[Spurs 4 The Win]

He wont play them all out because he doesnt want them to lose the psychological edge they have over the one team that can beat them in the playoffs, which is us.

[Mugen]

I don't think Kerr has the balls to rest them for that game tbh. He's not Pop.

[exstatic]

I don't think Kerr has the balls to rest them for that game tbh. He's not Pop.

They've already sewn up #1 in the WC. There is NO reason to play them more than maybe 1 quarter to keep them in game shape. There is no reason for GS to go for the game.

[wildbill2u]

Suppose one of his stars plays big minutes and gets injured? If he doesn't need the game, I think Kerr is too smart to make that rookie coach mistake. He won't rest them completely, but will just give them enough minutes to work up a good sweat and practice against what may be their worst possible opponent.

[BillMc]

I agree. He'll play them some, but I'd be surprised if either coach showed their cards too much, though the Spurs, concerned about the standings are more likely to go all out to win the game.

[cd98]

Play them first quarter, then rest.

[DMC]

He'll play them. Curry is in the MVP race.

[gameFACE]

Kerr pulls a Pop resting some players and it will backfire on him big in the playoffs!

[timtonymanu]

He'll play them.

Why risk having your biggest competition move up in the standings? I do hope everyone plays and its treated like a playoff game.

[Darius Bieber]

Warriors by 60+

[exstatic]

He'll play them.

Why risk having your biggest competition move up in the standings? I do hope everyone plays and its treated like a playoff game.

Maybe they throw it so we're in the other side of the bracket?

[Obstructed_View]

Their entire season hangs on Curry's ankles and Bogut's everything. Kerr's choices going forward will be highly second-guessed if they don't end the season healthy and go on to win the title.

[TD 21]

He wont play them all out because he doesnt want them to lose the psychological edge they have over the one team that can beat them in the playoffs, which is us.

:lol There's nothing the Warriors can do to gain a psychological advantage over the Spurs. The only team in the league who had that, was the Thunder and it was due to their combination of freakish athleticism and having an athletically/physically imposing all time great in his prime.

Plus, this is a team that's done nothing in the playoffs. Whether that matters in actuality or not is irrelevant; we're talking about how the Spurs perceive them and I do think that matters to players.

In terms of the game, I expect the Spurs to win and probably comfortably so, even if the Warriors don't rest anybody. They're due to lose, they'll be on the second night of a back-to-back and the Spurs will likely want to send a message, so look for them to come out with the same level of intensity as they did against the Cavaliers.

[exstatic]

I would say it could depend on the standings at the time. They may want to non-compete to help us up to 2 or 3 and out of their side of the bracket if our "easy week" pays off and other teams stumble. If we're at #5 at the time, and look like we could take 2 games from HOU and flip up to 3, they might be tempted.

[itzsoweezee]

The warriors have nothing to play for. I seriously doubt Kerr plays everyone, but maybe I'm overrating him.