This second round Western Conference playoff matchup can be seen in a number of ways. David vs. Goliath. Grizzled experience meets youth and energy. Or simply stated, the San Antonio Spurs open their second round playoff series Monday night against the visiting Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors are carrying momentum into this series, coming off an upset of the Denver Nuggets. While Golden State is sure to score in flurries and push the Spurs, it remains to be seen if the depth of San Antonio proves to be too great an obstacle for the young Warriors.
Golden State is a massive underdog in this matchup and will have to do something that hasn’t happened in well over a decade if the team plans to continue on to the Western Conference Finals; head into San Antonio and win a game on the road.
The Warriors have been beaten 29 consecutive times by the Spurs in Texas, a streak that dates back to 1997.
Coach Mark Jackson has his group playing with a swagger and confidence that indicates they are not content to simply make a solid run through the playoffs. Golden State has the look of a team aiming to win it all.
Leading the league in three-point shooting, the Warriors are deadly when getting open looks from the perimeter. Budding superstar Stephen Curry has set offensive records this season, and his supporting cast can score like few teams in the NBA. The offensive presence of Curry, Klay Thompson and Jarrett Jack will guarantee center Andrew Bogut lots of space in the paint. Bogut, coming off a huge performance against Denver, will prove instrumental in this matchup with San Antonio.
The Spurs, a team battered late in the regular season, looked to be running out of gas. The San Antonio core of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker seemed as if age was catching up with them. This fact changed as the team has looked youthful in the postseason, cruising through the Los Angeles Lakers and solidifying themselves as favorites to win the Western Conference.
Small forward Kawhi Leonard has emerged as the Spurs’ rising star, and his contributions have proved monumental in taking the load off of San Antonio’s big three.
Ultimately this San Antonio team will prove to be too deep for the Warriors. The Spurs are a squad without any glaring weaknesses for Golden State to expose. They enter this series rested, and will benefit from one of the NBA’s greatest coaches in Gregg Popovich behind the wheel. This will likely prove too much for Jackson, who will be outmatched by his counterpart.
The Warriors are a young squad that is arguably one of the most entertaining to watch in the league. Look for them to make this a competitive series but come up short. The San Antonio home court advantage will prove to be too difficult an obstacle for the Warriors to overcome.
San Antonio will prevail comfortably without having to expend too much in cruising to victory. The Spurs take the series in six games.
Jason Weingartner is an NBA and NFL contributor for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JaWeingartner or add him to your network on Google.
