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

[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]

[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 compe ion 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]

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 compe ion 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...