Game three moves to San Antonio where the Spurs fight to keep their playoff hopes alive against a mercurial Warriors outfit.
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In game one, the Warriors came from nowhere to steal an unlikely victory, and in game two the Spurs looked a shadow of the team that won 62 games in the regular season and were dubbed finals contenders for 2017.
Much has been made of Kawhi Leonard’s injury that he picked up in game one, and despite no structural damage occurring the MVP finalist will not be taking part in game three.
In a playoff series where they had already lost Tony Parker, this is a mammoth double blow for the men from San Antonio.
On game three – the Spurs will need to play as if it is game seven.
Last start, they were flogged by 36 points in a demolition job. Their bigs completely failed to show up – LeMarcus Aldridge in particular had a night to forget, in one half scoring only two points and getting the same number of boards.
This combined with an extremely efficient Warriors outfit at the offensive end should spell warning signs for the Spurs.
So… No Kawhi, no Parker and a seemingly unstoppable Warriors outfit keen to avenge the demons of 2016. It begs the question; how do the Spurs win?
The answer lies in the battle of the smalls. With Pachulia listed as “questionable” to take the court, the battle between Draymond Green and LeMarcus Aldridge should set tongues wagging.
Whoever gains the ascendancy in this contest within a contest can expect to rack up a number of points and assists.
We know how dangerous the Warriors are in open space, and even with the inconsistent form of Klay Thompson recently, they are the best three-point shooting team in the NBA.
If they are hot and Green can gain the upper hand in the paint, bye bye Spurs.
However, don’t count out Simmons and Mills. If the Warriors start slowly and the Spurs can gain some traction offensively, we may see a thriller.
Not much more needs to be said about the game. As Ginobli says “tonight is our game seven”. It becomes awfully difficult for the Spurs to win this series if they get beaten tonight, even with the incumbent return of Leonard in game 4.
Prediction
The Spurs will bring a level of intensity not seen in games 1 or 2 tonight. Expect LeMarcus Aldridge to bounce back from an average last start and be extremely productive in the paint. I think the Warriors will still win this in a close affair, but it will not be a blowout.
Warriors by 8
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Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
FULL TIME WARRIORS 120 Defeats SPURS 108 Kevin Durant and Steph Curry combine for 55 points as the Warriors buried an undermanned Spurs side and in the process go ahead 3-0 in the series. Ginobli was admirable and fought hard for the Spurs, but it's the total lack of scoring options without Leonard and Parker that has really hurt them. You'd have to think that the Cavs Warriors final is going to come to fruition sooner rather than later after watching that today. Game four is on Monday where we should see the return of Leonard, and hopefully a more competitive Spurs outfit. Until next time! Ciao
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
46′ Warriors 120 – Spurs 108 The crowd is spilling out of At&T as this game rolls into its final 90 seconds. Not much happening on the floor until Murray steals and goes coast to coast to reduce the deficit to 12.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
46′ Warriors 118 – Spurs 103 Dedmon with a nice pick up and slam in the paint. Too little too late.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
44′ Warriors 118 – Spurs 100 Curry checks out with 21 points.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
44′ Warriors 118 – Spurs 100 Steph Curry re-extends the lead to 18. Drains a deep three over Gasol.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
44′ Warriors 115 – Spurs 100 Anderson is fouled and makes one of two at the line. Curry turns the ball over at the other end before Dedmon tips home the left handed layup. Nice passage for the Spurs.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
43′ Warriors 113 – Spurs 97 Mills with a nice no look pass to Gasol who banks it home. 6 to go in the game.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
43′ Warriors 113 – Spurs 95 West leaves his dunk short but they get the rebound and Clark nails the wide open corner three. He then gets fed off a turnover and puts home a layup. Warriors on a 10-0 run and lead by 18.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
41′ Warriors 108 – Spurs 95 Gasol air balls a fade away jumper before fouling West at the other end who nails the layup and1. Rough play for Gasol who has really struggled recently.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
41′ Warriors 105 – Spurs 95 Spurs have started hot this quarter - despite Gasol tipping in to his own basket. Mills and Gasol effective on the offensive end. Gasol misses a wide open three before Durant puts home a layup. Spurs time out as the Warriors lead by 10.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
3 QUARTER TIME Warriors 100 – Spurs 86 The Warriors bring up their ton on the stroke of 3 quarter time thanks to two Curry free throws. Durant was mercurial in that quarter - scoring 19 points, has he shut the Spurs out of the game? 12 minutes to go.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
38′ Warriors 98 – Spurs 86 Ginobli!! He nutmegs West and draws a foul to go to the line. Just quietly - he has 21 points for the night and has by far been the Spurs best.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
34′ Warriors 98 – Spurs 82 Durant?!! Are you human? Nails a fade-away corner jumper for two and he has scored the Warriors last 11 points. The Spurs have no answer. He has 19 in this quarter!
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
34′ Warriors 93 – Spurs 80 KD is single handedly shutting the Spurs out of this. He makes a second three back to back and is fouled in the process. Completes the four point play - and he has 31 in the game with 15 minutes still to play.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
34′ Warriors 92 – Spurs 80 Another bounce pass to KD who mirrors the play before. At the other end, Anderson is fouled and hits his first at the line before Gasol tips in the second. The intensity seems to have just dropped slightly from both sides - as I type, KD drains a corner three, he has 27 for the game.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
33′ Warriors 87 – Spurs 75 West with a ridiculous bounce pass to the man of the minute Durant who nails the layup and1. He is the leading scorer in the game with 22 and just like that GSW have the biggest lead of the game.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
33′ Warriors 84 – Spurs 75 Draymond Green commits his fourth personal and sends Aldridge to the line who nails both. Spurs hanging on here.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
33′ Warriors 84 – Spurs 73 Durant fouled again and makes another two frees. He has 19.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
32′ Warriors 82 – Spurs 73 Patrick McCaw with a nice drive and layup as the Spurs call for a timeout. GSW shooting at 59% from the field.
Nick Kelland
Roar Guru
31' Warriors 78 – Spurs 71 Ginobli checks back in and immediately fouls Durant who goes to the line. Nails both and the Warriors have survived that onslaught from the Spurs.