I don't understand why some are scared of the Warriors, tbh

[Kawhitstorm]

Barnes is playing way better than 2 years ago but he wasn't the only reason as to why that series was "close", Jarrett "Spurs Killer" Jack was the other. They don't have JJack anymore but added Shaun Livingston and Leandro Barbosa which any of them will destroy Parker. Shaun with his size and Leandro with his athleticism.

Barnes was terrible in 2013-14 when he had to come off the bench but he is playing better than he did in the 2013 postseason. It's Draymond Green that playing way better than 2013. Patty can match-up w/ Barbosa & Manu is most likely going to be on Livingston. The issue is still going to be Porker/Barnes so Manu might have to get more minutes w/ the starter & Kyle could see some minutes against Livingston.

In any case, Diaw is going to be very vital when the Warriors go small w/ Draymond at center b/c Tim is unplayable w/ the lineup. LMA also has to do a good job of showing/recovering when Draymond/Curry run the high PnR. West seems more suited for the job so he might get some of Tim's minutes if the Warriors start running PnRs w/ Bogut ala 2013. Otherwise, they have to absolutely dominate the Warriors frontline on the other end. It wouldn't hurt if LMA could get Draymond in foul trouble.

[HarlemHeat37]

I'm not "scared" of them, the Spurs probably match up better with them than any other team in the league, but it's pretty silly to doubt them, at this point..they had a historic regular season, an absolutely dominant playoff run, and they have picked up where they left off..arguably the best player in the league, elite super-role players around him(Green, Thompson), other great role players behind them(Iguodala, Bogut, Barnes) and they have virtually no weaknesses..

Also, unlike most teams, their bench is good enough to match up with the Spurs, on paper..they also have the tools to exploit some of the Spurs' major weaknesses(Parker's defense, lack of a 3rd defender, defending screens, being forced to guard a stretch big, etc)..

[cjw]

Offensively, if the Spurs take care of the ball and avoids turnovers, they should be create size mismatches in the post and score efficiently.

On the boards, Spurs should have the advantage and Diaw isn't as much of a liability as against other teams. GS is a middling rebounding team, while Spurs are elite particularly on the defensive glass. Need to avoid second chance points and points off turnovers if going to beat GS.

Switching Leonard and Green on Steph throughout the game is the best plan, even if it means having to leave a lesser defender on Klay for stretches where two splash bros are in, and the wingstop is missing a wing. Steph will get his points no matter who's defending him, but it's important to make him work for those points so he's even less effective on the defensive end. Abuse him there by switching bigger guys onto him.

Limit it to a half court game and I like the Spurs' chances a lot more. Still, GS should instill a ton of fear into everybody - they're the best foe since the early 2000s Lakers. They're likely going to have HCA too.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Barnes is playing way better than 2 years ago but he wasn't the only reason as to why that series was "close", Jarrett "Spurs Killer" Jack was the other. They don't have JJack anymore but added Shaun Livingston and Leandro Barbosa which any of them will destroy Parker. Shaun with his size and Leandro with his athleticism. Right now there is nobody where Pop could hide Tony and whichever player is being guarded by him you can be sure that they will run tons of screens looking for that switch.

Thankfully, last Summer we added an offensive weapon called LaMarcus Aldridge which should mitigate some of Parker's deficiencies. Watching multiple POR vs GSW games on YouTube, on paper there's no body who can shutdown LaMarcus on that team.

Hide him on Festus Ezeli. They never pass him the ball in the half court.

[DarrinS]

Because they are the best team in the NBA right now.

[ceperez]

Spurs will need to improve their game considerably to beat the Warriors.

Spurs have been pretty pathetic the entire season. The starting five is slow as molasses and has yet to blow out a team. Most of the work has been done by the bench.

[tmtcsc]

I personally don't worry so much about GS. I fear OKC more than them.

Okc?

[Brazil]

Cuz Curry is going to light up Parker

give me one PG that Curry does not light up ?

[RD2191]

give me one PG that doesn't light Parker up ?

Can't think of one. Tbh

[spurtech09]

I agree with this post. They remind me a lot of the Nash era Suns, very deep & can flat out score while looking unbeatable. From what I've noticed so far this season is the defense isn't all that great (wolves scored 106 points on them.) Imagine if those same suns back in the day had the same path the Warriors had last playoffs, they would've dominated too.

I agree......

[Darius Bieber]

We can't just hide Parker or else Barnes or Iguodala will go off.

[Vic Petro]

The Spurs are still a bad matchup for the Suns, but sleep on them at your own peril.
1/8 of the NBA season is over. The Warriors are 10-0, 9-0 against the West. They are +17 right now, which is about 7 points more than the next closest team (Spurs).
They could absolutely win 70+ games.
Why are people afraid of them? Because the Spurs are the only team that can beat them, and that's only if everything goes perfectly for San Antonio.

[Beaverfuzz]

Clippers and Spurs can beat Warriors in a seven game series.

[SpurPadre]

Clippers and Spurs can beat Warriors in a seven game series.

And Okc and the Cavs, too, especially once LeBron does his annual use of teams as his farm system to get key players for peanuts at the trade deadline.

[ceperez]

The Spurs are still a bad matchup for the Suns, but sleep on them at your own peril.
1/8 of the NBA season is over. The Warriors are 10-0, 9-0 against the West. They are +17 right now, which is about 7 points more than the next closest team (Spurs).
They could absolutely win 70+ games.
Why are people afraid of them? Because the Spurs are the only team that can beat them, and that's only if everything goes perfectly for San Antonio.

Curry has 3 games where he scored over 40. He's shot over 60% from 3 last game with 8 3's. Warriors scored 129 points last game.

Spurs meanwhile have never scored over 115 points this season. They've scored under 95 points twice. This considering 7 out of the 8 teams they played are likely going to miss the playoffs.

[SpurPadre]

Curry has 3 games where he scored over 40. He's shot over 60% from 3 last game with 8 3's. Warriors scored 129 points last game.

Spurs meanwhile have never scored over 115 points this season. They've scored under 95 points twice. This considering 7 out of the 8 teams they played are likely going to miss the playoffs.

But you leave out the important issue separating both teams: the Warriors have continuity going for them while the Spurs are trying to adapt new players into the most complex system in the league...yet we're 6-2 with both losses on the road that we could've easily and arguably SHOULD have won. Both teams are on a collision course to face each other at some point in the playoffs, health willing.

[daledondale]

Clippers and Spurs can beat Warriors in a seven game series.

This. But anyway, it will take a lot of work. Curry is playing like a devil.

[ceperez]

But you leave out the important issue separating both teams: the Warriors have continuity going for them while the Spurs are trying to adapt new players into the most complex system in the league...yet we're 6-2 with both losses on the road that we could've easily and arguably SHOULD have won. Both teams are on a collision course to face each other at some point in the playoffs, health willing.

Yes, I understand Spurs are trying to adapt. Just got reality glasses on. Right now, Spurs aren't going to beat the Warriors.

Hopefully Spurs start clicking come playoff time.

[kawhidoyoudothistome]

They can really go off, so that's what worries me. Parker's terrible D will always allow some scrub to play like a God.

[Pako]

If we can slow down the pace, Spurs will beat GSW because that will allow us to set our defense. Once our defense is set, it is very hard to score even if parker have to guard Curry. Good thing is, we have a lot of personnel who can post up which will help in slowing down the pace.
Before, we have very small margin of error because we are less talented. But with the addition of Aldridge and improvement of Kawhi that margin significantly increase.
We worry about who is going to guard Curry but they need to worry who is going to guard Aldridge and Kawhi.

[alfahdlan]

With warriors, It is high time we hone kyle anderson to replace parker in the starting lineup. With anderson playmaking, we don't surrender height to a much improved Barnes. Let our wingstops neutralize curry and thompson.

[TheDoctor]

... From what I've noticed so far this season is the defense isn't all that great (wolves scored 106 points on them.)...

The wolves scored 116. Even then you really shouldn't be worried if you beat your opponent by an average of 17+ points. I didn't watch the game, but it could have been that the game was already decided and GS just was playing their scrubs vs Minny who probably played their starters till the end.

[TheDoctor]

If we can slow down the pace, Spurs will beat GSW because that will allow us to set our defense. Once our defense is set, it is very hard to score even if parker have to guard Curry. Good thing is, we have a lot of personnel who can post up which will help in slowing down the pace.
Before, we have very small margin of error because we are less talented. But with the addition of Aldridge and improvement of Kawhi that margin significantly increase.
We worry about who is going to guard Curry but they need to worry who is going to guard Aldridge and Kawhi.

Yes, the best way to play them is at half-court.

With warriors, It is high time we hone kyle anderson to replace parker in the starting lineup...

Dude, that's not gonna happen unless Parker's body is having its annual playoffs shutdown.

[TD 21]

Granted they are the defending Champ and historically good team, but if I'm Spurfan, I'm not the f***ing Clippers..

They clearly don't present the bad fits that Thunder (2012-2014) had to our team in direct matchup, not even the external factors (Refkc)

Starpower? I would argue Heat (2013-2014)> Warriors (2015-2016)...Let's face it, it is one man show (Curry).. and let's not kid ourselves including Thompson/Draymond Green as part of an established Big 3 dynamics..

IMO, the Spurs in Wingstop have by far the best foundation in the league to throw a spanner in their works..A depleted Cavs team near-provided the blueprint: choke off Curry as much as possible and let Iguodala or someone else be the MVP-level difference maker..

It is easier said than done, but i think this Dubs team could still be SHOOK in a playoff atmosphere..

Good post.

In addition to what you said, the Spurs are also the only team with a higher collective basketball IQ and at this writing, they also have the mental edge. It's well known that they practically celebrated when they found out the Spurs wouldn't be in their bracket and were eliminated.


Spurs fans, by in large, are pathetic though. When the Spurs have the best team in the league, they're too busy building up their biggest threats to realize it, but when someone else does or in this case, supposedly does, they're well aware and act terrified.

[dbestpro]

Curry will break down by season's end trying to go for the glory instead of a championship.