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The Golden State Warriors are wounded and at their most dangerous when they host the San Antonio Spurs. Join The Roar for live score updates from 12:30pm (AEST).
This is the best match-up currently in the NBA, it’s just a shame it can’t be the finals – sorry Eastern Conference.
Constant chatter about 73 wins and the 1995-96 Bulls has surrounded the Warriors for most of the season.
If the Warriors want to break that 20-year record they must win today, and all their remaining three games (one of which is another against the Spurs in San Antonio). Two shock losses at home against the Timberwolves and the Celtics in their last three games has them in this situation.
Against the Timberwolves the Warriors had an atrocious 23 turnovers, several late in the game, for which the Wolves made them pay.
Following the game, Draymond Green spoke of the Warriors getting bored of the regular season accounting for breaking their 54-game win streak.
While he may sound like a sore loser, it points more to the grind of an NBA season. Let’s be clear, these guys are freaks! Putting yourself through 82 games both physically and mentally starts to break you – even for brilliant teams like Golden State. This is why we see 23 turnovers and shock losses late in the season.
However, today’s match gives them the perfect stage to quiet those questioning them, and if it were any other team I’d expect them to win by about 30 – but it’s the Spurs.
The Spurs, on the other hand, have quietly gone about their business, more than happy for Golden State to have the spotlight.
The reason you haven’t heard about the Spurs this season is because they’ve been here before – they haven’t posted less than 50 wins since 1997 (excluding shortened 1998-99 season).
In their last game against the Warriors, San Antonio completely shut down Golden State defensively. Steph Curry was kept to 14 points, Klay Thompson top scored with 15.
This will be a much more difficult task in Oakland, recent history notwithstanding, because the Warriors are phenomenal at home.
The Spurs are coached by Gregg Popovich, the day he cares deeply about a regular season game will be the same day hell freezes over. They also know, however, that Golden State are their likely foes in the Conference Finals, so they won’t be lying down either.
Ultimately, this game means a lot more to Golden State. With all the hype through the season it will be disappointing if they fail to break the record. They will also be seeking revenge for San Antonio shutting them down so comprehensively last time.
The best news though? We get to see them go at it all over again on Monday! Enjoy, hoops fans!
Prediction
Warriors by 9
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