Okay... so obviously the Spurs have struggled a bit in these first two games against Golden State. Struggled is probably a generous word for that. With OR without Kawhi the Spurs could have and should have shown up in a bigger way. This is the WCF after all.
However... I'd like to point out for all those who are sitting back waiting to watch Bron v Steph Pt III, THIS SERIES AIN'T OVER YET.
The Spurs are never out until they're out. Just ask Houston.
Now, I know -we all know that the Warriors are a different animal. There's a reason that they've been to the finals the past 2 years. There's a reason they've gone undefeated in these playoffs. They are arguably the best team in the league right now. They're fast, they're defensively solid, scrappy, smart and can shoot the lights out on any given day. How could they lose? Super star squad with excellent coaching (Yes, even with Kerr not on the bench), how could they lose?
Well so far, that thought process has held up. But if you've ever bet against Pop, you've probably lost a bit of money. He's not done and neither are the Spurs. Here's just 3 reasons this series still has plenty of life:
1. They've done it without Kawhi
The Spurs are 8-1 this year without #2. Yeah, I'm a giant Spurs fan but he's not the MVP. Is he an important part of this team? Yes. Do the Spurs need him to win? No. Not even against the Warriors. Yes -the point differential after Kawhi's Game 1 injury is staggering -but I believe that is more a result of the Spurs getting complacent than a pure loss of Leonard. Houston Game 6? Easy work. Past two years? 14-2. It can be done the Spurs just need to get their feet under them again. People sleep on Jonathan Simmons but he's a very capable athlete. I think he will be a huge part of the Spurs success in the next 2 years. Pop trusts this guy, so I trust this guy.
2. The Point Differential Doesn't Matter
I don't care how many points the Spurs lost by in Game 2. The Warriors had a ton of momentum and Oracle is a serious home court advantage -those fans are rabid. I was disappointed by the loss but not completely surprised. We saw this in the Houston series as well and look how that ended. The Warriors defended Oracle and now the Spurs have the opportunity to do the same back in San Antonio this weekend. The Spurs faithful aren't a crowd to be taken lightly either, this is a basketball town and we have an irrational love for this team -that will be felt in the building this weekend. Clean slate as far as protecting your house goes. It could very easily be 2-2 in a few days.
3. Pop is the league's MVP
The most important reason this series could easily be tied soon is Pop. Gregg Popovich is one of, if not the greatest coaches in NBA history. His genius is not to be underestimated. You bet against Pop, it's likely you'll get burned. Again, see Houston series. Pop can adapt to any change in line up and has a system in place to insure the team can move forward. He's got a scary basketball IQ and empowers his players to fill roles they otherwise wouldn't feel confident with. Also important to note: he knows the opponent well. Both Kerr and Brown fall from the Pop Basketball tree, so when it does come down to the nitty gritty, Pop is better prepared than another opponent may be.
So pumped for Saturday. I'll post a recap of Game 3 on Sunday -who ya got?
Spurs in 7
-Chrissy
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Photo 1: nba.com
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Photo 4: