Three reasons Warriors won't hand NBA title back to Spurs

[ducks]

http://www.csnbayarea.com/warriors/three-reasons-warriors-wont-hand-nba-title-back-spurs?p=ya5nbcs&ocid=yahoo

[Mr. Body]

Fair enough. But any perceived weaknesses in LMA's or West's defense doesn't seem too important, as long as their close outs and helps are tight. Perimeter D is the premium against Golden State.

As for guarding their backcourt, Curry is a tough cover and Green does alright. The key is Kawhi on Thompson, who often struggles.

I'm very interested, meanwhile, in how the Warriors cover the Spurs' front court depth. Not quite to Memphis levels, but the Spurs have some good post players.

[ducks]

I hope spurs do not play them tell after the allstar break and they can gel first and see what happens
also with more scorers now leonard can just try to stop or slow curry down and not worry as much to save energy for o

[hater]

not really scared of them. We always play them well.

Kinda like how Mavs always play us well. IMO

[BillMc]

It's interesting that the press in the Champs' home area feels the need to write an article justifying why they are still better. Guessing there's some fear going on there...

[TheGreatYacht]

It's interesting that the press in the Champs' home area feels the need to write an article justifying why they are still better. Guessing there's some fear going on there...

[TheGreatYacht]

OKC has me more concerned, tbh...

[ceperez]

Good points

Great points, Spurs need to bring in LJC to play perimeter defense. He has enough speed and length to cover Thompson, Green, Barnes or Igodola.

Curry has shown that he can be covered with a guy as untalented as Delevedova. Maybe at scrappy Bertans can cover him and at the same time be a 3 point threat.

Spurs need to bring in an Jarrel Eddie. At 6'7" he has enough size to at least cover a Thomspon or Igodola at the same time be a legitmate threat at the 3.

Yup, its going to be a shooting contest if the Spurs don't have enough quick perimeter defenders to shut down Curry and Thompson. Leonard can shutdown curry and LJC can shutdown Thompson. Let's see how Green can play against a bigger Aldridge.

[look_at_g_shred]

OKC has me more concerned, tbh...
To me the only reason why I had doubts against OKC was their frontline. Ibaka just takes over the paint and our offense goes to shit. Now that we have Aldridge, things will be so much easier against them imo.

[MeloHype]

OKC has me more concerned, tbh...

[ceperez]

OKC has me more concerned, tbh...

OKC is a a hadful too. Westbrook is so much better, but Leonard has shown that he can bottle him up. That leaves though Durant, which again you need LJC to give him fits. LJC at 6'9" and 7'2" length has enough speed to give Durant just enough problems.

[bklynspursfan]

Green/Kawhi do just fine on Curry/Thompson. Idk what this guy is smoking

Oh and:


Look, none of this is to suggest the Warriors can waltz past the Spurs. I always was convinced the Warriors would have taken out the Spurs had they met in the 2015 playoffs. The Warriors had more speed and agility by a wide margin. They would have ousted the Spurs in five or six games.

:lol

[TheGreatYacht]

To me the only reason why I had doubts against OKC was their frontline. Ibaka just takes over the paint and our offense goes to shit. Now that we have Aldridge, things will be so much easier against them imo.
Yes, Ibaka only gave the Spurs problems when Splitter was in there just clogging up the paint. With LMA, Diaw, and West on the team now he's not as much a threat as he was before. If Diaw went off for 25+ against him just by spreading the floor... :lol can't even imagine what LMA will do

[Gervin44Silas13]

GS had a cake walk to the Finals no way they can beat us in a 7 game series....the whole NBA is still in hangover mode after the big moves weve made...
Our team city and Organization is fucken awesome!!!!!!

[Mr. Body]

OKC is a a hadful too. Westbrook is so much better, but Leonard has shown that he can bottle him up. That leaves though Durant, which again you need LJC to give him fits. LJC at 6'9" and 7'2" length has enough speed to give Durant just enough problems.

You're head over heels in love with LJC, aren't you?

[look_at_g_shred]

Bay Area ignoring the fact that we were a bad matchup for them before adding LMA/West :lmao

[look_at_g_shred]

You're head over heels in love with LJC, aren't you?
Did you see him last night??

[ElNono]

Hand it over... hand it over NOW

[FromWayDowntown]

Things have changed on both sides, but between Game 3 of the 2013 playoffs and the end of the 2014-15 regular season, the Spurs are 9-2 against the Warriors (regardless of who is coaching that team). One of those 2 losses was the second night of a back-to-back in Oakland against a Golden State team that hadn't played in 9 days.

It's not like the Spurs have struggled to find success against the champs, even in their current iteration.

Who knows what would have happened if the teams had met in the 2015 playoffs. I'm surprised, though, to read so much chatter from Warriorsland that seems to think their club is the only team chock full of guys with championship pedigrees and to wholly discount just how effective the Leonard/Green tandem has been in those match ups.

Yes, the Spurs still have some work to do to tinker with this roster to optimize its flexibility, and absolutely, the Warriors might still end up being the better team at the end of the 2015-16 season. They're damned good. And everyone, including Monte Poole, is entitled to his opinions about these teams and their relative strengths. But the rationale advanced in this piece is just a bunch of rah-rah stuff that lacks much relationship to relevant recent history.

[ceperez]

To me the only reason why I had doubts against OKC was their frontline. Ibaka just takes over the paint and our offense goes to shit. Now that we have Aldridge, things will be so much easier against them imo.

Ibaka is indeed a monster on defense. Aldrige is good enough to be able to back him down and score on him.

[Mr. Body]

Did you see him last night??

Yes.

[hater]

Injuries have me more concerned. and since those can't be controlled. I'm not concerned.

[BillMc]

Hand it over... hand it over NOW
:lol

[peacemaker885]

Season barely ended and these insecure fucks are already at it.

[TheGreatYacht]

OKC is a a hadful too. Westbrook is so much better, but Leonard has shown that he can bottle him up. That leaves though Durant, which again you need LJC to give him fits. LJC at 6'9" and 7'2" length has enough speed to give Durant just enough problems.
Yeah that's only one of the reasons they're a bigger threat. Two alphas that can explode for 40 anytime and you can't forget about the ghost calls.

Jean-Charles was meant to be put on someone like KD..

[Spur84]

https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1wZTGds8AU2XkqRRHOsFRDBSaUo=/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3576186/whi_swipegg.0.gif

[Mr. Body]

Things have changed on both sides, but between Game 3 of the 2013 playoffs and the end of the 2014-15 regular season, the Spurs are 9-2 against the Warriors (regardless of who is coaching that team). One of those 2 losses was the second night of a back-to-back against a Golden State team that hadn't played in 9 days. It's not like the Spurs have struggled to find success against the champs, even in their current iteration.

Who knows what would have happened if the teams had met in the 2015 playoffs. I'm surprised, though, to read so much chatter from Warriorsland that seems to think their club is the only team chock full of guys with championship pedigrees and to wholly discount just how effective the Leonard/Green tandem has been in those match ups.

Yes, the Spurs still have some work to do to tinker with this roster to optimize its flexibility, and absolutely, the Warriors might still end up being the better team at the end of the 2015-16 season. They're damned good. And everyone, including Monte Poole, is entitled to his opinions about these teams and their relative strengths. But the rationale advanced in this piece is just a bunch of rah-rah stuff that lacks much relationship to relevant recent history.

This is the way I'm thinking, too. Everything depends on health, but the Spurs give the Warriors fits. They're one of the few teams in the league with two premiere outside defenders to guard the motors of their offense. And now that Aldridge and West are in, the Spurs might just overpower them down low. They do have the better bench right now, but given that any matchup btw the two in the POs was a toss-up to me, it's tilted more in the Sours' favor now.

[ceperez]

Yeah that's only one of the reasons they're a bigger threat. Two alphas that can explode for 40 anytime and you can't forget about the ghost calls.

Jean-Charles was meant to be put on someone like KD..

Without LJC, Spurs will have to live with Green on Durant. You can't stop Durant, so you might as well live with bottling up the other guy.

[FromWayDowntown]

I think the thing that should be scary about OKC is the possibility that Donovan can put those guys into something resembling an offensive structure that is intended to reduce the alternating isolations in favor of movement that will create good looks for them and allow them to create good looks for their teammates.

If Durant is whole physically and Donovan can implement a real offensive system there, they will be a bitch for anyone to beat.

[Dex]

http://media.giphy.com/media/B1RWvgJ3VExhK/giphy.gif

[Aztecfan03]

The Spurs have no answer for Curry. And if San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich were to turn to Leonard, then who takes Klay Thompson? Green is good, but not that good.


:lol

[ceperez]

This is the way I'm thinking, too. Everything depends on health, but the Spurs give the Warriors fits. They're one of the few teams in the league with two premiere outside defenders to guard the motors of their offense. And now that Aldridge and West are in, the Spurs might just overpower them down low. They do have the better bench right now, but given that any matchup btw the two in the POs was a toss-up to me, it's tilted more in the Sours' favor now.

The problem that I see is that the Warriors can do the same number that the Spurs did against the Heat. Tire everyone out by running a superior bench. Spurs have old guys and a depleted bench. They've got to restock with young capable guys to keep up with the pace.

The author is right about Parker being key, if he isn't his old self, Spurs are going to have problems.

[Chillen]

The Warriors would have probably lost to the Cavs if Irving didn't go down in game 1. Spurs always play them well, it's still OKC that has me concerned. Don't get me wrong, congrats to the Warriors, they will have to be beat first. There is no on paper championship. If Spurs stay healthy and continue to tweak this roster, I like their chances vs the OKC's, Warriors, Grizz, Mavs Clips, Rockets in a 7 game series.

[ceperez]

:lol

Thompson disappeared in the finals... was there a stellar defender on him?

[hater]

Finals MVP Andre Igoudala :lmao :lol :lol

[Hoops Czar]

It's interesting that the press in the Champs' home area feels the need to write an article justifying why they are still better. Guessing there's some fear going on there...

You're reading too much into it. Pounding the Rock and SAEN does the same thing. And it still gets posted here.

[Supreme_Being]

IIRC during the last SAS-GSW PO series when Pop switched DG to Curry and KL to Thompson, we did alright. Well, that, and Curry had a bum ankle.

[TheGreatYacht]

:lol
"Green is good, but not that good" :lmao

Didn't Klay Reddick finish off Game 6 with 5 points? :rollin

[Aztecfan03]

Yeah that's only one of the reasons they're a bigger threat. Two alphas that can explode for 40 anytime and you can't forget about the ghost calls.

Jean-Charles was meant to be put on someone like KD..
why don't we just stick with Kawhi on Durant and Green on Westbrook?

[TheGreatYacht]

why don't we just stick with Kawhi on Durant and Green on Westbrook?
Other way around is better IMO

[ceperez]

I think the thing that should be scary about OKC is the possibility that Donovan can put those guys into something resembling an offensive structure that is intended to reduce the alternating isolations in favor of movement that will create good looks for them and allow them to create good looks for their teammates.

If Durant is whole physically and Donovan can implement a real offensive system there, they will be a bitch for anyone to beat.

If OKC gets a smarter offensive system they could be unstoppable. Unfortunately, OKC doesn't have that kind of players in their rosters. Adams, Ibaka aren't great passers.

The supporting cast isn't as good as it used to be, no Sefelosha, no Reggie Jackson, no Martin, no Harden. I don't even know who the SG is for OKC. Their bench is non-existent. How long will their bench last against the likes of Ginobili, Mills, Diaw and West???? Spurs will just run OKC to the ground. Durant and Westbrook will be dead tired when they reach the 4th quarter.

[ceperez]

Other way around is better IMO

I agree... KL on Westbrook. Green really can't cover Durant, but Durant is a very hard cover anyway. Best option is to get LJC on him, not going to stop him, but will at least make him work for his shots.

[james evans]

it's too much thought being put into this. We're gonna kick their asses easily. Aldridge can hit the open jumper. Green isn't gonna be able to sit down low. This is why we beat the thunder in 2014. Popovich realized(what I had mentioned 2 games prior) to start diaw to bring Ibaka out of the paint. The beige brothers never play well against green and curry, but with the emergence of iquadala, we may have a few issues. We may have to play a lot of mills(who defends curry a hell of a lot better than parker) and then it's an easy win. EASY WIN!! quote me. It's too much worrying about nothing.

[Supreme_Being]

Other way around is better IMO

Why do think that?

[Aztecfan03]

I agree... KL on Westbrook. Green really can't cover Durant, but Durant is a very hard cover anyway. Best option is to get LJC on him, not going to stop him, but will at least make him work for his shots.
So which one are you removing from the starting lineup: Green or Aldridge?

[Spurtacular]

"Tony Parker’s body has become a victim of hard driving and high mileage ... The Spurs have no answer for Curry"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePw4iiV8yzs

[TheGreatYacht]

Why do think that?
Length. Green doesn't have enough of it to get back on Westbrook if he decides to settle for a mid range jumper or drive to the rim recklessly imo.

Like ceperez said, you can't really stop Durant but Green will at least make him work

[ceperez]

So which one are you removing from the starting lineup: Green or Aldridge?

You take Green out and you have Parker cover the SG (whoever he is) of the Thunder.

[cd98]

GS barely beat a crappy Cavs team for the title. Spurs have the best wing defensive combo in the league. More than enough stuff to shutdown Thompson (though he shuts himself down) and Curry.

[Spurtacular]

Very hacky journalism....but the bar for intelligence is low in Oakland.

[Spurtacular]

Dude's making the case that if KL guards Curry, then Green can't guard Thompson.

I don't know one Spurs fan who's worried about that scenario. The worry is Parker.

[Aztecfan03]

You take Green out and you have Parker cover the SG (whoever he is) of the Thunder.
SO then you would take away our best 3-point threat and a lot of spacing away on the offensive end for a minor defensive upgrade(which i don't think it even would be) maybe individually against Durant, but not overall defense.

[Spurtacular]

To the victor go the spoils. This article is the equivalent of a sh** talk article; and for now, the Warriors can get away with it somewhat. I hope the Spurs play the Warriors and beat em in 4 or 5 and just put them back in their natural station.

[spursistan]

I can feel dat fear :lol

[Mikeanaro]

3) A bit of meaningful math works in favor of the Warriors
One of the many philosophies under which the Warriors operate on offense is that three points always beats two.
The Spurs will lose Belinelli, who won the 3-point shootout during All-Star Weekend in 2014.
No team is going to beat the Warriors shooting 2-pointers while struggling to contain their 3-point shooters.
The Warriors, firing treys and playing ferocious defense and daring Aldridge to prove he can deliver in the clutch, will welcome the battle.
:lmao asterisk, when in the hell has GSW won a Playoff series against SA? how that math is in favor of the Guerriors?
:lmao 3 pointers, worst scheme ever... winning against a DLeague team shooting shoes ´n bricks while needing 6 games.
:lmao thinking about repeating.
:lmao David Lee was more useful than Bogutless and now he´s gone.

[cd98]

Three points do beat two, but if you make three point shooters shoot 15% and then you make 50%-60% of your twos, then twos will beat threes. Besides, the dumb logic, Green is one of the best three point shooters in the league. He can more than make up for Belinelli's loss.

[TheGreatYacht]

David Lee for Gerald Wallace :lmao

[ceperez]

Three points do beat two, but if you make three point shooters shoot 15% and then you make 50%-60% of your twos, then twos will beat threes. Besides, the dumb logic, Green is one of the best three point shooters in the league. He can more than make up for Belinelli's loss.

The author forgot that the Spurs have Patty Mills. Sure Belinelli won the 3 point contest, but Patty has connected on more 3 point shots in the playoffs.

[cd98]

The author forgot that the Spurs have Patty Mills. Sure Belinelli won the 3 point contest, but Patty has connected on more 3 point shots in the playoffs.

Hey, I forgot about Patty too. Between him, Green, Kawhi, and (hopefully) Manu, we have lots of firepower from three point range. Now if Diaw could hit them, that would be a game changer. Word is that Aldridge can make them...that would really open up the floor.

[SPURt]

http://media.giphy.com/media/B1RWvgJ3VExhK/giphy.gif

HAHA! This

[ironman2886]

Haters acting like they don't know the Wingstop brigade. The Warriors players and Kerr know what team gives them problems and beats them on the reg.

http://img.ffffound.com/static-data/assets/6/c7368d8f03a89ba6487b6c7098deea348f583ecc_m.gif

[GSH]

Did somebody suggest the Warriors would hand the title to the Spurs? Did anybody, anywhere think that? The Warriors are the champs, until somebody kicks their asses and takes the LOB from them. The writer may think that the Spurs are incapable of doing that, but I guarantee you neither Kerr nor the GS players think that way right now. If it comes down to those two teams in the WCF, it will be a dogfight. But, frankly, the writer is getting a little ahead of himself, because there are a BUNCH of strong teams in the West, and the Warriors will have to beat three of them. He's talking like it will be a cakewalk getting to the Finals.

Lots of people going out of their way to try and explain why the Spurs won't be as good as they look right now. That, in itself, is a good sign. They're whistling past the graveyard.

[Phenomanul]

The Warriors had no one to matchup with Diaw... And our 6th best player will still take them to school...

[DMC]

Warriors had the rare benefit of being healthy during the RS and playoffs. The injury bug gets everyone over and over, and will get them again.

[soxxx]

Its fun to talk about this but we cannot forget the Thunder, the coaching change in OKC will likely have a similar effect as we saw in GS. Scott Brooks had no clue how to run an offense yet they still played very good.

[101A]

It's interesting that the press in the Champs' home area feels the need to write an article justifying why they are still better. Guessing there's some fear going on there...

Reveling in an NBA championship is SHORT in terms of national attention. Learned this in '99, when the Lakers hired PJ RIGHT after the Spurs won, and he make the * comment, then when the Lakers stole the spotlight with their 4 HOF lineup in '03...the Dubs are learning that lesson now - championships last forever, but the new season (beginning to crown the NEXT champion) starts immediately after the parade.

[Lebron4MVP]

I think the thing that should be scary about OKC is the possibility that Donovan can put those guys into something resembling an offensive structure that is intended to reduce the alternating isolations in favor of movement that will create good looks for them and allow them to create good looks for their teammates.

If Durant is whole physically and Donovan can implement a real offensive system there, they will be a bitch for anyone to beat.
No. OKC is not ringing. Durant is already bolting them next Summer. Their front office fucked up too many times. Too little too late. You are treating this team like the 2010 Cavs. We all know the end game for this team.

[random21]

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Post (http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=44256793#p44256793)#5 (http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=44256793#p44256793) » by FNQ (http://forums.realgm.com/boards/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=48265) » Today 5:08 pm
On a Spurs site somewhere: "How do we stop Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson?"

I dont think they can out-efficiency us. We're too good from deep. Even if they do the Green-Kawhi-Parker shuffle again, we shouldn't have a problem with Bogut and Green setting mean picks.



LMAO (Setting mean picks) - STUPID WARRIOR FANS... Asterisk :lobt2: :lol

[TampaDude]

Three reasons they will...

1. Tim Duncan
2. Kawhi Leonard
3. LaMarcus Aldridge

Seis.

[100%duncan]

We can play them any match-up they want. Small ball with lma kawhi green manu mills. Regular with Tim lma/bobo west. And their fag bros are wingstop's bitches

[TheDoctor]

WTF are those bitches talking about?!? We just replaced Baynes and Tiago with David West and LaMarcus FUCKING Aldridge, re-signed FMVP/DPOY and Verde. WTF?

Same dumbheads as warriorsworld. Same.

[HarlemHeat37]

:lol analyzing matchups in July, wow..

[Sean Cagney]

not really scared of them. We always play them well.

Kinda like how Mavs always play us well. IMO
Not really, Spurs beat the Mavs over 10 straight games or so at one point and beat them the last two times in the playoffs. When healthy last year they dusted them off as well. They played us well in that series though, agreed on that part. They beat the Mavs though, Warriors don't beat the Spurs usually.

[daslicer]

Reveling in an NBA championship is SHORT in terms of national attention. Learned this in '99, when the Lakers hired PJ RIGHT after the Spurs won, and he make the * comment, then when the Lakers stole the spotlight with their 4 HOF lineup in '03...the Dubs are learning that lesson now - championships last forever, but the new season (beginning to crown the NEXT champion) starts immediately after the parade.

Its weird but I was thinking about that the other day when it was announced that West had decided to sign with the Spurs. I feel the signings of West and LaMarcus feel similar to Malone and Payton granted those two were past their primes and the spurs still have LaMarcus in his prime. The Spurs are getting hyped like the '04 Lakers and the Warriors are getting disrespected like the '04 Spurs. I just hope the Spurs don't have the same tragic ending as the '04 Lakers did.

[DAF86]

:lol analyzing matchups in July, wow..

This is what happens when franchises test success for the first time in a long ass time. It will take a couple more of playoffs battles for these dudes to really know what's up.

[SpursFan86]

:lol analyzing matchups in July, wow..

FA moratorium hasn't even been lifted yet :lmao

[rayray2k8]

Still a long way from finding out, but they wont have to hand it over. It'll probably just get taken away.. Doesn't matter if its from the Spurs or anyone else.

[Diego20]

can't belieave you used capital letters for the title..

[spurspokesman]

Take there back court away and the rest of the team will follow

[BillMc]

Reveling in an NBA championship is SHORT in terms of national attention. Learned this in '99, when the Lakers hired PJ RIGHT after the Spurs won, and he make the * comment, then when the Lakers stole the spotlight with their 4 HOF lineup in '03...the Dubs are learning that lesson now - championships last forever, but the new season (beginning to crown the NEXT champion) starts immediately after the parade.

All true.

[dgspursforlife]

lol those ignorant fags
I seem to recall us shutting them down last season

[Obstructed_View]

And the whistling past the graveyard starts in Oakland.

[spurs10]

Hand it over... hand it over NOW :lol
Enough of that 'they still have to play the games bullshit!' Cancel the season....book the river parade!

[BanditHiro]

to be fair, the Warriors are going to have a hard time playing their small ball line-up that won them the championship against the Spurs. They are going to have to play Bogut which is already slowing down their offense. Spurs were match-up problem for them last year and its ever worse this year. A healthy OKC is still the biggest threat to the Spurs.

[james evans]

to be fair, the Warriors are going to have a hard time playing their small ball line-up that won them the championship against the Spurs. They are going to have to play Bogut which is already slowing down their offense. Spurs were match-up problem for them last year and its ever worse this year. A healthy OKC is still the biggest threat to the Spurs.
so durant and westbrooke alone are a threat to the spurs? Outside of those 2, who do they have? Ibaka can't do anything but hit the open jump shot and if you put a 4 in the game that can hit the open jumper, you can pull him out the paint so he's a non issue on defense.

[BillMc]

Its weird but I was thinking about that the other day when it was announced that West had decided to sign with the Spurs. I feel the signings of West and LaMarcus feel similar to Malone and Payton granted those two were past their primes and the spurs still have LaMarcus in his prime. The Spurs are getting hyped like the '04 Lakers and the Warriors are getting disrespected like the '04 Spurs. I just hope the Spurs don't have the same tragic ending as the '04 Lakers did.

Good post. Thankfully, I doubt we'll have the infighting or the rape case hanging over our heads. LaMarcus might shoot us out of the series, like Kobe did in the 2004 finals, but I'd bet against it. :toast

[-21-]

They sound scared tbh. They don't have to hand it over, the Spurs can just take it.

[james evans]

Its weird but I was thinking about that the other day when it was announced that West had decided to sign with the Spurs. I feel the signings of West and LaMarcus feel similar to Malone and Payton granted those two were past their primes and the spurs still have LaMarcus in his prime. The Spurs are getting hyped like the '04 Lakers and the Warriors are getting disrespected like the '04 Spurs. I just hope the Spurs don't have the same tragic ending as the '04 Lakers did.
The lakers could have won that title easily. EASILY. Shaq was shooting 60%. Every time they dumped the ball down to him, he scored. The biggest myth in nba hystory is that Ben Wallace shut shaq down. How do you shut down a man shooting 60% and averaging 18ppg? Kobe destroyed that series. He didn't want shaq getting another finals mvp. Series should have been the lakers easily. I aint mad Kobe shot them out though. We were robbed in game 5 anyway.

[SnakeBoy]

It's interesting that the press in the Champs' home area feels the need to write an article justifying why they are still better. Guessing there's some fear going on there...

I'm guessing you are guessing right....they scared.

[BlackSilver]

Actually, I thought these would be the 3 reasons:

1. Our dog ate it.

2. We didn't think you were actually going to come and get it.

3. We've retired from the NBA, so are under no obligation to return it.

[TD 21]

I don't get this narrative, that the Spurs have supposedly vaulted themselves back into contention with the Warriors. In reality, they were already fully capable of beating them, though not in the worn down, beat up state we last saw them in.

As has been discussed ad nauseam, they match up well, but far less talked about yet equally apparent, is they're clearly in their heads. I don't know that the Warriors truly believed they could beat the Spurs last season, which is always half the battle.

[pjjrfan]

Health and chemistry are key for any team to win the title. The spurs have to develop a chemistry by the time the playoffs roll around, and while I will concede the Warriors should be favored because they are the defending champs and deserve that, I still think that Green and Kawhi are two of the best on ball defenders in the league. I think that Harrison Barnes needs to improve if he does the Warriors will get better and barring injuries will have an excellent chance of repeating. But Barnes was a liability for the Warriors during the playoffs and especially in the finals.

[popdagreat]

ugh all i hear here(im in the bay area) are spurs too old, slow, dubs will outlast the, they cant keep up, nobody stops our small ball etc. :ihit

[ffadicted]

I wasn't scared of them this year, certainly won't be next year. I think their 'chip was one of the easiest in a long time, I'm willing to bet they don't even make WCF

[Kawhitstorm]

Good post. Thankfully, I doubt we'll have the infighting or the rape case hanging over our heads. LaMarcus might shoot us out of the series, like Kobe did in the 2004 finals, but I'd bet against it. :toast

The '04 Lakers severly lacked depth & had Devean George:lol as part of the starting 5. Once Malone got injured they had to play Slava Medvedenko:lol!

[dg7md]

Season barely ended and these insecure fucks are already at it.

They're defending champs, above all else. They deserve some respect.

Yeah, they had an easier run at the title, but so did we in 2013 and we couldn't get it done.

[Spurtacular]

I will concede the Warriors should be favored because they are the defending champs and deserve that

That's just crap that certain people say cos they have to. Warriors would have lost to the Spurs in the playoffs last playoffs; and the same will likely hold true this upcoming playoffs.

[peacemaker885]

They're defending champs, above all else. They deserve some respect.

Yeah, they had an easier run at the title, but so did we in 2013 and we couldn't get it done.

GS most definitely deserve all the credit. My scorn was directed to them writers.