Silver Lining Thread.

[midnightpulp]

Disclaimer: The Warriors still have a big on paper advantage against the Spurs, but I still think the Spurs have the proverbial puncher's chance (30ish percent chance of beating them in the series).

Aside from Curry, the Spurs held the rest of their starters in check. Look at it this way, if Curry is only 7 points worse (which would still give him an amazing 30 points in 28 minutes against the best defensive team in the league) and Livingston and Rush shoot 50%, that takes away about 20 points from them. Curry's performance, as good as he is, would be unsustainable over a playoff series, and I sincerely doubt Rush and Livingston are going to shoot a combined 11-12 very often (and if they do, then you tip your hat). Add a couple of more points from LMA, Parker, Manu, and Patty, fix the turnovers, and we're right there.

"Yeah, but even if their bench and Curry regress, Draymond and Klay positively regressing will offset that."

Raymond has never scored more than 15 points against the Spurs and is a career 38% shooter against us in the Kawhi-era. Klay has had a few good games, but many more bad games.

I think this is why many Spurs fans were somewhat confident against the Warriors before this game (I don't think many had us winning this game, but not losing by 30). Until last night, they've really had more to prove against us than we had to prove against them (Curry-era Warriors were 2-11 vs. the Kawhi-era Spurs). We were usually able to hold Curry and Klay somewhat in check. Raymond struggles against our length. And our bench was usually better. We've always seemed to match up very well against the Warriors. But now that we can't hide Parker on Barnes like we once did, the matchup advantage has obviously switched (not to mention their addition of Iggy).

If they can sustain this level of blowing out great and good teams by 30+, with Curry dropping 30+ points in less than 30 minutes (like he did against the Cavs and Spurs), then so be it. Nothing the Spurs or any other team can do. But if they're simply on a hot streak right now, when things regress to the mean (for them and for us, as I don't expect LMA and our bench to play that badly over a series), we have a shot.

[ElNono]

I thought last night's game went exactly as I thought it would go (minus the turnover shitshow in the 1st half). They would run their game, while Pop would play the mad scientist game looking what works and what doesn't. Under those circumstances, I have the Dubs winning most times than not.

Pop went with Tony and Mills on Curry, then inserted Simms with the starters, put a couple of small ball lineups out there, gave time to Butler, Kyle... just experiment after experiment, seeing how things develop and Kerr reacts, etc.

I wouldn't even be shocked to see more of the same for at least two more games against them. This is the time to do this. If you think Pop gives a shit about that home record, I think you're going to be sorely disappointed.

Even all that doesn't guarantee we can beat them in the playoffs, but if we're to get better against them, we're going to have to go through this stuff. As Manu said in the post game, they're an unique team. No other team really plays like them. You really can't get the reps and testing environment against anybody else. If it costs a few regular season games, so be it.

EDIT: And I agree with your conclusion, mid, they're a historically good team right now. If they keep it going like that, it might not matter what we do.

[Chomag]

Warriors are just on another level then any team in the nba right now, maybe even the highest level we have ever seen from a nba team.

We got a long way to get to that same level fellas, but I hold out hope...its going to take the same level that the Spurs were on when they defeated Miami in the champ last tine for us to have a chance.

Man, I thought GS was going to be a bit better this year fron their last but I totally had no idea they would become this good

[skulls138]

No more 9:30 games

[AFBlue]

Saying we kept the rest of the starters in check ignores the contributions they made outside of putting the ball in the hoop tbqh. Draymond picked the Spurs apart routinely in the first half, leading others to wide open shots. And Barnes was solid, if unspectacular. The only one we checked all-around was Klay. I get that their bench outperformed their normal level of production, but that's what you expect at home. And, newsflash...they will likely maintain home court advantage barring a significant injury.

The only silver lining from that game was the experience gained by Jonathon Simmons. Because the next time Danny goes cold against the Warriors, J Simms will need to match the intensity of the moment and deliver on a big stage. Hard to do that without precious experience.

[midnightpulp]

Saying we kept the rest of the starters in check ignores the contributions they made outside of putting the ball in the hoop tbqh. Draymond picked the Spurs apart routinely in the first half, leading others to wide open shots. And Barnes was solid, if unspectacular. The only one we checked all-around was Klay. I get that their bench outperformed their normal level of production, but that's what you expect at home. And, newsflash...they will likely maintain home court advantage barring a significant injury.

The only silver lining from that game was the experience gained by Jonathon Simmons. Because the next time Danny goes cold against the Warriors, J Simms will need to match the intensity of the moment and deliver on a big stage. Hard to do that without precious experience.

Even if Raymond is setting players up, the players still have to make those shots. You're never going to stop a player's entire skillset, but at least Raymond isn't going off for 20-25 points (as he has been lately) in addition to his other contributions.

Like I said, the Warriors will still be heavily, heavily favored, but the Spurs have some things they can target and build on to give themselves a shot.

[Horse]

Just like the Miami teams ball movement beats that swarming D and there was no movement last night not even from the bench. From the tip we tried to match their pace big mistake. LMA historically plays well against them, we should have an advantage on the boards and I still believe our bench is better.

[spursistan]

I want to believe it.. but the match-up has gotten far trickier with recent emergence of too many Spurs underbellies..The reality is we are getting destroyed in the PG/SG position (Parker/Manu old legs +Green and Mills regression + no Cojo)-- something that's not going to change by the looks of it...I reckon LMA won't be this bad for the entirety of a potential series, but he isn't going apeshit and he and the frontcourt won't equalize what we give up on the back court...

Seriously how are you going to control pace with such inexpert ballhandling ? The Spurs will need a CP3/Conley type floor general to execute against this team..our offense was the worst part of our defense last night ..Let's hope Tony has one last hurrah in him.

[testies]

Admins, I've been banned for over a year from making threads. Please forgive, this is absurd and ridiculous.

[AFBlue]

Even if Raymond is setting players up, the players still have to make those shots. You're never going to stop a player's entire skillset, but at least Raymond isn't going off for 20-25 points (as he has been lately) in addition to his other contributions.

Like I said, the Warriors will still be heavily, heavily favored, but the Spurs have some things they can target and build on to give themselves a shot.

They beat the Spurs so badly that Steph Curry almost didn't have to play the game and they'd still have won. They scored almost 30 points in the first quarter when it was still even a game. We didn't limit them at all. Our defense was terrible, superseded only by the careless offense that gave their prolific offense more opportunities. It was an all-around ass beating. Sorry, I don't see the silver lining.

[YGWHI]

I sincerely doubt Rush and Livingston are going to shoot a combined 11-12 very often (and if they do, then you tip your hat). Add a couple of more points from LMA, Parker, Manu, and Patty, fix the turnovers, and we're right there.

I don't care abut Rush but Livingston is a big part of their 2nd unit offense. It seems that we can't hide Parker/Mills on him...I'd like to see Kyle bothering him with his length.


We've always seemed to match up very well against the Warriors. But now that we can't hide Parker on Barnes like we once did, the matchup advantage has obviously switched (not to mention their addition of Iggy).

We still have advantage in Kawhi's matchup over Barnes and Klay like this game has shown, sadly Pop seems too reluctant to exploit it. I agree with 48MoH guy who said that the Spurs never mind finding ways to get the ball into Kawhi's hands.

We won't win many games in playoffs with Kawhi being underused...

[808]

So, we aren't going 34-3 the rest of the way? Thought this was a silver lining thread :depressed

[Slippy]

Looked to me as if pop was using this game for research and prep. Almost every defensive breakdown by the spurs pop was turning to one of his assistants to get it noted.

[SAGirl]

I thought last night's game went exactly as I thought it would go (minus the turnover shitshow in the 1st half). They would run their game, while Pop would play the mad scientist game looking what works and what doesn't. Under those circumstances, I have the Dubs winning most times than not.

Pop went with Tony and Mills on Curry, then inserted Simms with the starters, put a couple of small ball lineups out there, gave time to Butler, Kyle... just experiment after experiment, seeing how things develop and Kerr reacts, etc.

I wouldn't even be shocked to see more of the same for at least two more games against them. This is the time to do this. If you think Pop gives a shit about that home record, I think you're going to be sorely disappointed.

Even all that doesn't guarantee we can beat them in the playoffs, but if we're to get better against them, we're going to have to go through this stuff. As Manu said in the post game, they're an unique team. No other team really plays like them. You really can't get the reps and testing environment against anybody else. If it costs a few regular season games, so be it.

EDIT: And I agree with your conclusion, mid, they're a historically good team right now. If they keep it going like that, it might not matter what we do.
This is a good point. If anything Pop still kept trying to win the game with Manu when it as already out of reach, but I believe Manu being the competitor he is wants to try. I wanted to see more of Kyle and Boban against their starters, maybe It's a disaster but so was MAnu and that group. And young guys learn something Manu already has in resilience and competitiveness.

I expect Butler to get more chances moving forward, particularly with Tim still sidelined. But so should Boban and so should Kyle.

[NameLess Scrub]

There's no silver lining.

- They will keep making video game shots and moving screens on offense.
- They will keep hacking and getting easy fast breaks on defense
- Spurs won't be able to win the title. Timmy will retire with 5 and Manu with 4
- Spurs window will close

The only thing that can save it is if Curry gets injured for a month, and when he comes back he finds the team in 2nd place and out of rhythm.

:hang

[Nathan89]

There's no silver lining.

- They will keep making video game shots and moving screens on offense.
- They will keep hacking and getting easy fast breaks on defense
- Spurs won't be able to win the title. Timmy will retire with 5 and Manu with 4
- Spurs window will close

The only thing that can save it is if Curry gets injured for a month, and when he comes back he finds the team in 2nd place and out of rhythm.

:hang

If you want to pin the hopes on an injury at least make it a season ending injury. I don't want see any form of Curry.