How do you match up against Golden State now?

[objective]

Obviously no Parker.

Just hope that Simmons, Bertans, and SloJoke are all better defensively, run then out there with Kawhi, Green, and Manu and Aldridge and Diaw in constant contact rotation.

Cross fingers.

[cd98]

My guess is you counter big. If you have Gasol, pound the ball to him or LMA and make Durant guard on the block. Basically, don't let him play the 4.

[Chinook]

And I think we're going to see a return to bigger basketball as a result. Golden State just cornered the ing market on smallball, so teams would be insane to try to match that style.

Honestly, the strategy to beat them hasn't changed at all. It'll just be harder to pull that off now that instead of Barnes being the safety value, you have KD. You pound them inside an just hope to survive on the other end. If the Spurs can add Gasol to Duncan, Diaw and Aldridge, I think they're doing well for themselves. Getting a defensive PG would be nice but that probably won't happen at this point.

[Raven]

Gasol signing wouldn't help us beat them now. There would be a huge match up problem.

yeah, for them

[Raven]

Honestly, the strategy to beat them hasn't changed at all. It'll just be harder to pull that off now that instead of Barnes being the safety value, you have KD. You pound them inside an just hope to survive on the other end. If the Spurs can add Gasol to Duncan, Diaw and Aldridge, I think they're doing well for themselves. Getting a defensive PG would be nice but that probably won't happen at this point.

considering they are bound to lose bogut and ezeli, they will be severly lacking in rebounding and pick and roll D, so the matchup is pretty straightforward.

[Obstructed_View]

LMA doesn't play in the post and Gasol is going to be nothing more than another ISO player backing down defenders and taking turnaround jumpers in the Spurs system. They have zero creators/penetrators so everyone will just be standing around waiting for their one on one opportunity. It's going to be like the running of the bulls when they play GS. The Spurs would have to scream halfcourt vs the Warriors or they'll get blown off the court. They'd also have to shoot an incredibly high % to offset the Warriors high octane offense because last time I checked, 3-point shots were more productive than two point shots.

Bertans, Anderson, Simmons, Boban, LJC as rotation players? RIP Spurs.

Well, you lost all credibility at "LMA doesn't play in the post", but let me just throw one stat at you: NBA average points per FGA is ~1.7. Layups and dunks beat three pointers every time. The only way to beat them is to exploit their weakness.

[G-Dawgg]

You don't, it's over.

[Hoops Czar]

Well, you lost all credibility at "LMA doesn't play in the post", but let me just throw one stat at you: NBA average points per FGA is ~1.7. Layups and dunks beat three pointers every time. The only way to beat them is to exploit their weakness.

LMA doesn't play in the post. Her's a PF that shoots midrange jump shots. Care to watch some games next season? What does the NBA average have to do with a Warriors (young) vs Spurs (old) match up? The Warriors aren't an average NBA team and the Spurs don't have a single penetrator that can breakdown the Warriors defense and get to the rim for easy layups and slam dunks. Even their best player would rather take a couple of dribbles, do a shimmy shakes or two and pull up for 10-15 ft. jumper rather than take it to the basket.

What you say is easy to talk about but not so easy to execute when the personnel and resources aren't there. Every NBA team knew the Warriors weakness last year yet, so few teams including the Spurs were able to exploit it. The Warriors were a game away from a championship last season and if it weren't for a herculean effort from Lebron James and a timely three from Irving, they'd be the two time champs.

[Drom John]

Only nine players had more post touches/game than LaMarcus Aldridge:
Dwight Howard
Hassan Whiteside
Jonas Valanciunas
Al Jefferson
Mason Plumlee
Myles Turner
Steven Adams
Amir Johnson
Ian Mahimni

[hsxvvd]

James Johnson.

Start him for the jump ball. Instead of jumping, he does a round house kick to Curry and Durant's throat.

[Spurtacular]

Wanna try and say Spurs can do this or that; but KD signing with GS and not SAS was a big pendulum swing.

[Spurtacular]

considering they are bound to lose bogut and ezeli, they will be severly lacking in rebounding and pick and roll D, so the matchup is pretty straightforward.

Yea, mouth breather isn't a center despite what he thinks.

[daslicer]

They are a super offensive team with Durant but they are worse defensively without Bogut,Ezeli. I don't think they can play small ball for a full 48 minutes and get away with it.

[HarlemHeat37]

In theory, I agree that they're vulnerable inside, but how exactly are the Spurs going to exploit this? They don't have any great rebounding bigs and only 1 post scorer, along with no reliable perimeter penetrators..

[hsxvvd]

They'll sign ring chasing bigs.

Nene for example. Probably land Gasol for a vet min now too.

[SASdynasty!]

Change the game plan. Put the ball back in Parker's hands. In the last 4 years, we're undefeated in the playoffs when Parker leads the team in scoring. And practically the opposite is true when the ball is in someone else's hands.

[GSH]

Change the game plan. Put the ball back in Parker's hands. In the last 4 years, we're undefeated in the playoffs when Parker leads the team in scoring. And practically the opposite is true when the ball is in someone else's hands.

[dbestpro]

Leonard has Durant. Green has Thompson. If the Spurs get Gasol, then he or LMA will match up with Warrior Green, but the Warriors have no one to match up with the other. Parker on Curry goes to Warriors, Gasol against whoever is the center for GSt goes Spurs, and the bench for the Dubs will be decimated. They have no role players and no one to do the dirty work that is always underestimated. In the end we have one less team to over come, OKC, and Bogut is no longer beating people up in the middle. One year from now we are going to be talking about how this was the best thing that could happen to the Spurs.

[Kikoluna]

Change the game plan. Put the ball back in Parker's hands. In the last 4 years, we're undefeated in the playoffs when Parker leads the team in scoring. And practically the opposite is true when the ball is in someone else's hands.

Wow, did you just say that

[Kikoluna]

Lol that was my face

[Tully365]

Their only (relative) weakness is inside now. They're unquestionably a great team, but the shot sharing could potentially become an issue, and having Durant on the floor for more minutes cuts into Iggy's mpg, which makes them a bit less versatile on defense... but, yeah, these are all pretty subtle things....

The funny thing to me is some people criticizing Durant for joining the Warriors, and then saying they are unbeatable... how is making the smartest basketball decision available to him a bad move?

[coachmac87]

Leonard has Durant. Green has Thompson. If the Spurs get Gasol, then he or LMA will match up with Warrior Green, but the Warriors have no one to match up with the other. Parker on Curry goes to Warriors, Gasol against whoever is the center for GSt goes Spurs, and the bench for the Dubs will be decimated. They have no role players and no one to do the dirty work that is always underestimated. In the end we have one less team to over come, OKC, and Bogut is no longer beating people up in the middle. One year from now we are going to be talking about how this was the best thing that could happen to the Spurs.

Iggy and Livingston isn't a bad start for their bench tbh...

[Kikoluna]

You cannot beat that starting five , even if they don't have a bench. I hate to admit it. We have 3 good starters, they have 5.

[Mouth is Bleeding]

Positive is that it looks like there is now only one team in the West to really really worry about.

I will not miss OKC and all the problems that they gave us.

The very bad is that even with an injury to KD or Curry, GS could still be the best team in the west which is unbelievable.

[Tully365]

I think Bogut is really undervalued by most fans... he sacrificed the big numbers he used to put up in Milwaukee to do all the tough inside work for the Warriors while never needing shots... that helps on a team with talented shooters. But ultimately, Jerry West did the smart thing-- getting a 27 year old star who plays 35 mpg makes an already great team greater... it's on a bigger scale, but this reminds me of the 90s Rockets trading for Clyde Drexler after winning a championship... also the early 70s Knicks, getting Earl Monroe to put alongside Walt Frazier, his biggest rival in the league up until then... both moves resulted in championships.