Be honest. If Kawhi didn’t get Zaza’d, would the Spurs beat the Warriors in that series?

[Rusty]

Up by 20 on their home court pretty much dominating them. I think it would’ve been Spurs in 7

[MultiTroll]

Yes.
Warriors are one of, if not the softest mental team in the NBA.

*WarriorRef would need to be taken out too.

[GusT15]

On one hand,TP was already out with the patella,and also,many people don't remember this but there were reports during those playoffs that #2's quad was already in a bad condition and he was playing hurt.

If there were no more injuries and Nephew could keep playing tho,i'd still have that series at 50/50,Spurs in 6 or Warriors in 7.It would be a competitive series,for sure.

[slick'81]

Beating a real dead carcass now

[sananspursfan21]

I think in 6 or 7 games, yes. I don’t know if anyone remembers the season series that year but the Spurs mopped the floor with them two out of three games they played (29 and 22 respectively) while losing one game by 12 to them. And if I recall, it was a pretty competitive affair until late.

I wouldn’t say the Spurs had their number, but they definitely knew how to beat them. Warriors would have kicked playoff gear back in but our guys had a great shot. I think it would have been an upset and we have some regular season history to back up that the straight beating in game 1 before Zaza was no fluke.

[KDKSpurs24]

Yes. But don’t care anymore. Can’t rewrite the past.

[Millennial_Messiah]

Up by 20 on their home court pretty much dominating them. I think it would’ve been Spurs in 7

Yes to the original question. Spurs would have won the series and beaten the Cavs, most likely. But I don't think "Spurs in 7" is a realistic follow up. Taking Game 1 meant stealing HCA. No way we were going to win a Game 7 in Oracle, though. NBA wouldn't have let us, if nothing else.

Spurs in 6 if Leonard doesn't get hurt and we don't slip up in Game 1. That was a statement win. Like I said, all Spurs needed to do to go up 3-1 and essentially end the series was to win 2 of the next 3, two of which were at home. We likely would have lost game 2 in a close one, won games 3 and 4 (one squeaker, one comfy win), lost game 5, and finished them in game 6.

Spurs in 5 (most likely) or 6 at the most over Cleveland in the Finals that year.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Good post.

On one hand,TP was already out with the patella,and also,many people don't remember this but there were reports during those playoffs that #2's quad was already in a bad condition and he was playing hurt.

If there were no more injuries and Nephew could keep playing tho,i'd still have that series at 50/50,Spurs in 6 or Warriors in 7.It would be a competitive series,for sure.


Better post.

Beating a real dead carcass now

[Millennial_Messiah]

Yes. But don’t care anymore. Can’t rewrite the past.

Beating a real dead carcass now

We don't have a choice at this point. It's not likely we'll win a playoff series in 2019 nor any other year in the near future. It's probably a sad, slow disintegration into mediocrity, the cellar and ultimately relocation. All caused by Zaza using his magic Eurasian powers to transform Kawhi Leonard into a female dog.

[timtonymanu]

No. Spurs matched up well with them that year. But Warriors would have still won in 6 or 7, imo.

[Uriel]

No. Kawhi was playing injured in that series. Even if we had won Game 1, we probably still would've lost the series in 6 or 7.

[cd98]

Warriors could turn it up a level that the Spurs could not. Plus Kawhi had a bum ankle before Zaza.

[DMC]

No. I said so then. You don't give up that many points because one person left the game and think you have a chance to win the series. What, was KL going to play 48 minutes a night?

[suitedkings]

No.

[GAustex]

Nephew was goin super sian
It was an intoxicating thing to see

[GusT15]

Nephew was goin super sian
It was a intoxicating thing to see

It was a thing of beauty.
Another thing of beauty was that 3 online betting sites did not lock bets on the game when he went down.
You had about 5-10 minutes to quadruple your money.

It was an intoxicating thing to get paid.

[gambit1990]

very possible. people seem to be overlooking the level kawhi was playing on.

[gambit1990]

On one hand,TP was already out with the patella,and also,many people don't remember this but there were reports during those playoffs that #2's quad was already in a bad condition and he was playing hurt.

tp being out was a plus for the spurs.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Fuck no, and anyone who says yes is delusional

Winning game 1 just means spurs push the series to 6 instead of five.

[Mr. Body]

Pop always had the blueprint for beating the Warriors, the Warriors just got lucky.

[SupremeGuy]

Doesn't matter anymore, tbh. Fuck Kawhi.

[BillMc]

I don't know. And that's the frustrating thing. We'll never know.

[gambit1990]

no one on the warriors was able to contain kawhi in game 1. dude was on another level defensively then he is currently.

[GreekSpursfan]

https://media.giphy.com/media/3qgkGdwGZ19fO/giphy.gif

[Millennial_Messiah]

Fuck no, and anyone who says yes is delusional

Winning game 1 just means spurs push the series to 6 instead of five.

Spurs weren't losing at home to Dubfags that year with a full deck of cards. We'd also won like 49 of the past 50 overall home games we'd played against them to that point.

[Millennial_Messiah]

Fuck no, and anyone who says yes is delusional

Winning game 1 just means spurs push the series to 6 instead of five.

It's your fault for starting the game thread. You're a Kobe stan and always wanted the Spurs to get injured and lose to beef up the Kobe legacy.

[Keepin' it real]

https://i.gifer.com/9nhL.gif

[BlackAndWhite]

Spurs would have won if Kwad, Tony and David lee were all healthy

[daslicer]

It's your fault for starting the game thread. You're a Kobe stan and always wanted the Spurs to get injured and lose to beef up the Kobe legacy.

EPIC truth bomb.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

It's your fault for starting the game thread. You're a Kobe stan and always wanted the Spurs to get injured and lose to beef up the Kobe legacy.

When the fuck have I ever talked up Kobe in my life? Find me one post dumbass :lmao

[daslicer]

Spurs would have won that series. What the Spurs were doing to the Warriors in game 1 reminded me of what the Lakers did to the Spurs in game 1 of the '01 WCF. You could tell by the Warriors faces they were in shock and depressed at the same time. Spurs had them mentally.

[Millennial_Messiah]

When the fuck have I ever talked up Kobe in my life? Find me one post dumbass :lmao

It's still your fault. 'Nuff said.

[Hoops Czar]

Fuck no, and anyone who says yes is delusional

Winning game 1 just means spurs push the series to 6 instead of five.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Spurs would have won that series. What the Spurs were doing to the Warriors in game 1 reminded me of what the Lakers did to the Spurs in game 1 of the '01 WCF. You could tell by the Warriors faces they were in shock and depressed at the same time. Spurs had them mentally.

And look at what the spurs did to the lakers in games 1 and 2, and okc in game 1 multiple times

Game 1’s Don’t mean shit in regards to how a series will play out.

[Mikeanaro]

Yes, what a stupid thread.

[Spurtacular]

Yes. You could see the Warriors shitting their pants right before our eyes. Kerr put in a hitman. Zaza played like two minutes for the rest the series.

[Spurtacular]

And look at what the spurs did to the lakers in games 1 and 2, and okc in game 1 multiple times

Game 1’s Don’t mean shit in regards to how a series will play out.

Spurs were built to beat the Warriors; and they showed they were better in the regular season head to head. Game 1 was just a further manifestation of that fact. If the Warriors had lost Game 2, I could've seen a sweep, tbh.

[daslicer]

And look at what the spurs did to the lakers in games 1 and 2, and okc in game 1 multiple times

Game 1’s Don’t mean shit in regards to how a series will play out.

:lol Teams that win game 1 win the series 80 percent of the time. Your stupidity never ceases to amaze me.

[szkorhetz]

No way

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

:lol Teams that win game 1 win the series 80 percent of the time. Your stupidity never ceases to amaze me.

86% (228-37) if a team wins Game 1 at home, however, only 50.5% (47-46) if a team wins Game 1 on the road.

In any case, while not being favorites even after winning that game 1 the Spurs would have had a very decent chance of taking the series and would have easily been favorites in the finals.

[TDMVPDPOY]

it depends on warriorrefs...

if they allow green, kawhi, whoever to be physical defense on them...

not concern with draymond green, he can be neutralize, its fkn lma with the brainfaze if he play like a real big or continue to be push around to take jumpshots

[Spurtacular]

:lol Teams that win game 1 win the series 80 percent of the time. Your stupidity never ceases to amaze me.

:lmao

[Spurtacular]

it depends on warriorrefs...

if they allow green, kawhi, whoever to be physical defense on them...

not concern with draymond green, he can be neutralize, its fkn lma with the brainfaze if he play like a real big or continue to be push around to take jumpshots

I think the Spurs system did a great job of not over-relying on LMA against the Warriors. Kawhi was the lynch pin. He was the one who had to perform, and he had shown he was finally up to the task.

[99 Problems]

Kawhi was MJ like that game. He built off the Memphis and Houston rounds. No way were those plodders going to stop him that WC finals. Hell even Rockets last season win if CP0 doesn’t twang that hammy tbh. Those strummers have been insanely lucky.

[tbdog]

Up until that series, Spurs actually had a winning record against the warriors for those 3 consecutive years. When the Warriors won the title in 2015, Spurs and Warriors tied the regular series 2-2. In 2016 when the Warriors won 73 games, the regular series was tied 2-2. In 2017, the Durant year, Spurs won the regular series 2-1. No other team had a better record against the Warriors. So up 20+ and just destroying them really, game 1 on the Warriors floor, there is no question spurs had a chance to dethrone them.

[RC_Drunkford]

Pop found out in game 1 he could hide Mills on Draymond, so I think Spurs had a good chance. It would've been the competitive series that I been waiting on for 3 years.

[RC_Drunkford]

Up until that series, Spurs actually had a winning record against the warriors for those 3 consecutive years. When the Warriors won the title in 2015, Spurs and Warriors tied the regular series 2-2. In 2016 when the Warriors won 73 games, the regular series was tied 2-2. In 2017, the Durant year, Spurs won the regular series 2-1. No other team had a better record against the Warriors. So up 20+ and just destroying them really, game 1 on the Warriors floor, there is no question spurs had a chance to dethrone them.

Spurs still have the best regular season record against the Dubs in the entire NBA since 2014/15 season

[monty4329]

Yes to the original question. Spurs would have won the series and beaten the Cavs, most likely. But I don't think "Spurs in 7" is a realistic follow up. Taking Game 1 meant stealing HCA. No way we were going to win a Game 7 in Oracle, though. NBA wouldn't have let us, if nothing else.

Spurs in 6 if Leonard doesn't get hurt and we don't slip up in Game 1. That was a statement win. Like I said, all Spurs needed to do to go up 3-1 and essentially end the series was to win 2 of the next 3, two of which were at home. We likely would have lost game 2 in a close one, won games 3 and 4 (one squeaker, one comfy win), lost game 5, and finished them in game 6.

Spurs in 5 (most likely) or 6 at the most over Cleveland in the Finals that year.

I don't know why people still make a big deal of being up 20 in the first half. Against OKC we were up 20 in the second half, and lost, and everybody was healthy ("great" Pop performance that time, BTW). Anyway we won titles when Bowen was playing dirty on every shot, what Zaza did to nephew was nothing, not even close. Leonard was already injured, it was just a matter of how long before re-injuring.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

:lol Teams that win game 1 win the series 80 percent of the time. Your stupidity never ceases to amaze me.

Not for the spurs dumbass

They’ve lost more series after winning game 1 than anyone else.

TONS of times they’ve lost series after winning game 1.

It’s like you only started watching them last year

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Not for the spurs dumbass

They’ve lost more series after winning game 1 than anyone else.

TONS of times they’ve lost series after winning game 1.

It’s like you only started watching them last year

Talking out of your ass again. They've lost a series only 5 times after winning game one since '97.

31 wins.

86% - right at history average.

[NameLess Scrub]

Nephew was goin super sian
It was an intoxicating thing to see

I need to watch that game :lol:

It would have been amazing to beat the Warriors and beat LeBron in the finals again.

Spurs were pretty close to repeating and also beating 2 of the most notable superteams in history. It's a shame 2013 and 2017 didn't end differently.

[skin27]

Spurs should have won game 1..but whole series? I’m not sure..

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Talking out of your ass again. They've lost a series only 5 times after winning game one since '97.

31 wins.

86% - right at history average.

Name another team that has lost more series after winning game 1 since ‘97 more than the spurs

My point still stands. Spurs have by far and away the most win game 1 and choke the rest of the series happen to them more than any other team in the past 25 years.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Name another team that has lost more series after winning game 1 since ‘97 more than the spurs

Rockets have lost 5 too and won only 5 after winning game one. They've played much fewer playoff series too. I'll let you do your own research from here on.


My point still stands. Spurs have by far and away the most win game 1 and choke the rest of the series happen to them more than any other team in the past 25 years.

You have no point other than contending for the whiniest bitch ass poster, but there's a lot of competition for this title.

[bklynspursfan]

Absolutely. That was their first year together (and we'd smoked them earlier that year too, this wasn't a fluke). That's the best chance to catch a 'super team' when they haven't been through adversity together yet at that high level (see 2011 Mavs) They were super focused from the jump, you can tell they had a plan in place on how to attack that team.

[bklynspursfan]

Rockets have lost 5 too and won only 5 after winning game one. They've played much fewer playoff series too. I'll let you do your own research from here on.



You have no point other than contending for the whiniest bitch ass poster, but there's a lot of competition for this title.

Exactly. It's a lot easier to try and find those sort of stats against the Spurs when they never miss the playoffs lol. How about other teams who "choke" all regular season and miss the playoffs.

[RD2191]

The Spurs are infamous for blowing huge leads. I doubt we even would've won game 1 tbh fwiw imo

[Amuseddaysleeper]

The Spurs are infamous for blowing huge leads. I doubt we even would've won game 1 tbh fwiw imo

It was frightening how quickly they imploded in just 12 minutes when Kawhi got injured. LMA was shit back then.

And who's to say Kawhi would've shown up like that every night? He was fantastic in 2017 but had a few stinkers in the Rockets series.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Exactly. It's a lot easier to try and find those sort of stats against the Spurs when they never miss the playoffs lol. How about other teams who "choke" all regular season and miss the playoffs.

Like this year's Spurs.

[superbigtime]

who knows. I think probably yes.

[bklynspursfan]

Like this year's Spurs.

I mean, they're still in the playoffs as of now, despite the injuries/personnel changes they've had. Teams that stay relatively healthy and don't have as much roster change have done far worse than us this season. Nice try though

[Hoops Czar]

Spurs were built to beat the Warriors; and they showed they were better in the regular season head to head. Game 1 was just a further manifestation of that fact. If the Warriors had lost Game 2, I could've seen a sweep, tbh.

Built to beat the Warriors? They couldn't even hold onto a 24 point lead with 16 minutes left to play without their talisman. And then they were swept out of the playoffs like it was nothing. They should have had enough talent outside of Kawhi to win that game.

[DPG21920]

Like this year's Spurs.

Spurs missed the playoffs?

[Hoops Czar]

Yes. You could see the Warriors shitting their pants right before our eyes. Kerr put in a hitman. Zaza played like two minutes for the rest the series.
Yes, because a 67 win team isn't capable of making series adjustments after a loss.

[Ibleedslvrnblk]

The Real question should be if they don't blow 2013, does 2014 happen?

[Millennial_Messiah]

I don't know why people still make a big deal of being up 20 in the first half. Against OKC we were up 20 in the second half, and lost, and everybody was healthy ("great" Pop performance that time, BTW). Anyway we won titles when Bowen was playing dirty on every shot, what Zaza did to nephew was nothing, not even close. Leonard was already injured, it was just a matter of how long before re-injuring.

You were never a Spurs fan if you took that whiny bitch Gay Allen's side vs. Bowen, tbh.

[GusT15]

The Real question should be if they don't blow 2013, does 2014 happen?

What? Of course not.

This team's issue,the Duncan's Spurs i mean,was never being talented enough.It was being motivated enough.

We lacked a psychopath like Jordan,who could not enjoy life without winning.

But that 2013 loss motivated them so much that they played the best basketball ever played,so,who cares?

[Spurtacular]

Built to beat the Warriors? They couldn't even hold onto a 24 point lead with 16 minutes left to play without their talisman. And then they were swept out of the playoffs like it was nothing. They should have had enough talent outside of Kawhi to win that game.

You weren't paying attention. Kawhi was the centerpiece. Warriors didn't have an answer for him, cept to do a hit.

[Spurtacular]

Yes, because a 67 win team isn't capable of making series adjustments after a loss.

Strawman.

[Poolboy5623]

Warriors in 5...maybe 6. Game 1 was just the Spurs chance to get a game.

[Sdayi78]

Nope.

Mills and Green as our staring backcourt

Gasoft as our starting center

Should I add more....

Warriors in 6 tops

[TDomination]

Spurs in 6

Win Game 1
Lose Game 2
Win Game 3
Lose Game 4
Win Game 5
Win Game 6

[TDomination]

I loved Game 1 of 82 that year. We blew out the warriors like nobodys business.

Everyone was hyping up that Durant was there, they were going to be completely unbeatable with him there. And first game @ Golden State. Blowout delivered by the Spurs. That was awesome.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrifz7glk14

Game 1 of the Playoffs was shaping out to be exactly like that. An injury derailed that.

How many times has Golden State been gifted an injury to an opponent that can beat them or at least compete with them?

2015 Finals - Kyrie was out. It was just Lebron and Co and still took them to 6 games. Warriors Win
2016 Finals - Teams actually fully healthy. Result: Warriors Lose
2017 WCF - Spurs up big, Kawhi gets hurt, out for series: Results: Warriors Win
2018 WCF - Houston up 3-2 with a game 6 @ Houston. Chris Paul gets hurt misses last 2 games lol. Warriors Win.

It takes a lot of luck to win a championship but man they've had all the luck recently. I'm hoping this year can be an unlucky year for them.

[GusT15]

I loved Game 1 of 82 that year. We blew out the warriors like nobodys business.

Everyone was hyping up that Durant was there, they were going to be completely unbeatable with him there. And first game @ Golden State. Blowout delivered by the Spurs. That was awesome.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrifz7glk14

Game 1 of the Playoffs was shaping out to be exactly like that. An injury derailed that.

How many times has Golden State been gifted an injury to an opponent that can beat them or at least compete with them?

2015 Finals - Kyrie was out. It was just Lebron and Co and still took them to 6 games. Warriors Win
2016 Finals - Teams actually fully healthy. Result: Warriors Lose
2017 WCF - Spurs up big, Kawhi gets hurt, out for series: Results: Warriors Win
2018 WCF - Houston up 3-2 with a game 6 @ Houston. Chris Paul gets hurt misses last 2 games lol. Warriors Win.

It takes a lot of luck to win a championship but man they've had all the luck recently. I'm hoping this year can be an unlucky year for them.

Kevin Love was also out during the 2015 Finals.Lebron was missing his #2 and #3.

[Maddog]

I think the Warriors still win, but it would have been much closer than most think. 6 or 7.
There where a couple stories that stated the Spurs felt they had a chance. Going into the season they felt GS might be vulnerable to length and movement. Game 1 of the regular season and playoffs suggest they might have been on the right track. Remember they also lost Tony who was playing well.

[BD24]

naw, Warrior refs wouldn't have allowed that to happen tbh. The league didn't want that super team losing tbh.

[KimmyGib]

In their 3 regular season matchups between March 29 2017 and Feb 10 2018, Spurs lost all of them by double digits after being ahead by double digits after the first quarter. Doesn't prove anything of course, but there was a pattern of Spurs getting off to a hot start against the Warriors and then being blown out in the second half, consistent with 2017 WCF game 1. Sadly we'll never know what could have been, but imho the early lead in game 1 doesn't mean a whole lot in the context of a 7 game series against the GS super team.

[Barfunk]

The Real question should be if they don't blow 2013, does 2014 happen?

I don't think so.

[sook]

No. Being up in a game 20 means absolutely nothing. Multiple teams have been up and still come back to lose. The spurs would have lost in 5-6.

[FrostKing]

:rollin

[UncleDennis]

Yeah I think so, I've never seen Kawhi play at that level before and legit wonder if he can ever get to that level again let alone surpass it. He was other worldly that whole run, I'll never forget that Memphis series. Anyways in all the time I've watched basketball and all the so and so vs Jordan comparisons and what not, he was the most unstoppable guy I've seen playing since Jordan and that's why I think the Spurs would have won.

Players say they love playing against the best competition but I honestly don't think that the GSW guards, any of Curry, Durant, Thompson find anything rewarding against playing Kawhi, it really looks like they'd rather be anywhere else. While I agree GSW was capable of a play level that the Spurs couldn't get to, the Green-Kawhi-Aldridge defensive line had a ton of success with limiting that highest GSW ceiling. Obviously as we all saw once you take Kawhi out it's like the foundation of the building was ripped out and everything immediately imploded but I'll forever always think that they were Zaza'd out of #6.

[D-Robinson 50 fan]

Hell no! We might have won 2 games max

[blizz]

No

[RC_Drunkford]

Yeah I think so, I've never seen Kawhi play at that level before and legit wonder if he can ever get to that level again let alone surpass it. He was other worldly that whole run, I'll never forget that Memphis series. Anyways in all the time I've watched basketball and all the so and so vs Jordan comparisons and what not, he was the most unstoppable guy I've seen playing since Jordan and that's why I think the Spurs would have won.

Players say they love playing against the best competition but I honestly don't think that the GSW guards, any of Curry, Durant, Thompson find anything rewarding against playing Kawhi, it really looks like they'd rather be anywhere else. While I agree GSW was capable of a play level that the Spurs couldn't get to, the Green-Kawhi-Aldridge defensive line had a ton of success with limiting that highest GSW ceiling. Obviously as we all saw once you take Kawhi out it's like the foundation of the building was ripped out and everything immediately imploded but I'll forever always think that they were Zaza'd out of #6.

Dubs couldn't stop Kawhi and LA together. Simmons also elevated his play against them. Spurs definitely had a chance

[BlackAndWhite]

In 2015 Warriors also played a injured Memphis team who were up 2-1. Then in 2018, they met the pelicans without boogie.

[KimmyGib]

Once the unholy union happened, no one was beating GSW in 2017. I still think 2016 was our year. Best regular season in Spurs history. Durant still with OKC. Timmy still with us. If only his knee held up that year... :cry