Can we "2012 Spurs" the Warriors?

[TDomination]

2012 Spurs were 10-0 in the playoffs going into game 3 of that series then lost 4 straight.

With Kawhi healthy, could this be possible?

yeah GS I'm sure is better than 2012 Spurs, and OKC 3 headed monster is probably better than our current team but I will say when the Spurs play team defense like we saw in a few games in Houston series and a lot of game 1 in this series, this team can be really good.

I'm still holding out hope.

[Horse]

thunderefs were the biggest part of that but yes, yes we can

[Chinook]

Obviously, getting Zazaed out of Game One was a huge blow. But yes, the Spurs are clearly not scared of the Warriors and completely able to beat them in Oakland. So if Kawhi is healthy, the Spurs have a legit chance. This long break will help the Spurs both make and practice adjustments. The benefit of Game Two is that the Warriors have very little to work on to get better, given how little resistance the Spurs gave them, while SA has tons of tap to look at. The faster pace of the next two games combined with a healthy Leonard could help them send the series back to the Bay Area knotted up. After that, anything can happen.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Would be shocked if Spurs win both games in SA. GS is the worst matchup in the league for SA. We just don't have the outside shooting to beat them 4 times out of 7 to go along with the two softest bigs in the league.

[bklynspursfan]

Obviously, getting Zazaed out of Game One was a huge blow. But yes, the Spurs are clearly not scared of the Warriors and completely able to beat them in Oakland. So if Kawhi is healthy, the Spurs have a legit chance. This long break will help the Spurs both make and practice adjustments. The benefit of Game Two is that the Warriors have very little to work on to get better, given how little resistance the Spurs gave them, while SA has tons of tap to look at. The faster pace of the next two games combined with a healthy Leonard could help them send the series back to the Bay Area knotted up. After that, anything can happen.

Agreed

[TampaDude]

Nope. Sweep.

[TDomination]

Win game 3, anyway you can and you obviously give yourself a great chance to get right back where you want it, 2-2.

If you think of it in terms of having to win 4 straight or 4 out of 5 against the warriors, it seems like a daunting task, but if you win game 3, some of the pressure goes back on the warriors to avoid having a game 6 and having to go back to SA and Spurs have been surprisingly good this year in big pressure games (game 5 vs Memphis, game 2 vs Rockets, game 5 vs rockets) so I can see the Spurs definitely winning game 3.

this team has surprised Spurs fans and other people a lot this year so I seriously wouldn't be surprised to see the Spurs completely dominate game 3 and win game 4. But of course, only if kawhi is healthy enough to not only play but be the player he has been.

[Russ]

2012 Spurs were 10-0 in the playoffs going into game 3 of that series then lost 4 straight.



Same thing happened to the 2004 Spurs. They had won 17 games in a row including Games 1 and 2 against the Lakers (following a sweep in the first round).

Then they lost four in a row to Kobe and Shaq (and Malone and Payton). Parker was killing the Lakers in the paint and Phil Jackson gave the order to hard foul him every time he went there.

It's possible to do this.

But you need to do something to dramatically change the landscape. I would start Simmons over Mills and go with Simmons, Leonard and Green in the backcourt -- a defensive juggernaut.

Then fill Gasol and LMA with caffeine and hope for some inside scoring.

[spursistan]

Think it might be similar to Spurs-OKC series of 2014: Ibaka comeback galvanized the Thunder and were able to turn the tide and make it a close-ish one, but the better team still wins in the end

[Spur|n|Austin]

Obviously, getting Zazaed out of Game One was a huge blow. But yes, the Spurs are clearly not scared of the Warriors and completely able to beat them in Oakland. So if Kawhi is healthy, the Spurs have a legit chance. This long break will help the Spurs both make and practice adjustments. The benefit of Game Two is that the Warriors have very little to work on to get better, given how little resistance the Spurs gave them, while SA has tons of tap to look at. The faster pace of the next two games combined with a healthy Leonard could help them send the series back to the Bay Area knotted up. After that, anything can happen.

Going points, looking forward to Saturday.

[Keepin' it real]

I've seen nothing that would lead me to believe this could happen.

[kaji157]

We would need the refs to win one game for us at home like the thunder had and also a very impartial ref when away.

[TE]

If LMA and Gasol grow a pair, and perimeter players play with the same grit as Simmons + hit shots, drive to the basket get them into foul trouble/control the pace + Kawhi plays at an MVP caliber level, then yes.

[DD]

No

[spursmvp]

okc was fully healthy.

[Poolboy5623]

The Warriors are a historically good team....why compare them to teams that aren't or weren't?

[313]

Think it might be similar to Spurs-OKC series of 2014: Ibaka comeback galvanized the Thunder and were able to turn the tide and make it a close-ish one, but the better team still wins in the endyeah, except we dominated them at home, whether they were healthy or not which is why we still blew them out in game five. There's a glimmer of hope we can steal one in oracle if we're healthy.

we can't afford to lose at home though, obviously. We've been vulnerable at home however, which makes uncertain about our chances.

[Proxy]

Zaza being out and Iggy remaining out would be a nice help