PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* Spurs-Warriors SHOWDOWN >>> Won 6 STRAIGHT NBA Sides! 111-64-6 L181!
(NBA) San Antonio vs. Golden State,
Point Spread: -10.00 | -100.00 Golden State (Home)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: -10.00 | -100.00 Golden State (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Spurs owned the second-best record West at 61-21 (and in the entire NBA, as well) and will meet the No. 1 seed Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals starting this afternoon in Oakland. The Warriors went 67-15 during the regular season and have won all eight playoff games, outscoring opponents on average, 115.3-to-98.8 PPG. After rolling over Portland and Utah in the first two rounds, the Warriors also have the advantage of being well-rested, with an entire week off between series. Conversely, the Spurs didn't have an easy time in either of their series, as they were tied at two-all against both the Grizzlies and the Rockets, before winning both Game 5s at home and then their respective Games 6's as well, at Memphis and Houston.
San Antonio: Kawhi Leonard is nursing a sprained left ankle that kept him out of the clinching Game 6 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday but the good news for the Spurs is that Leonard will have had a full four days off before Sunday's opener. He is expected to play against Golden State today. Power forward LaMarcus Aldridge took a more prominent role in Leonard's absence in Game 6 at Houston. He produced his best performance of the postseason with 34 points and 12 rebounds, well above his average 16.8 points and 8.0 rebounds this postseason. PG Tony Parker (quadriceps tendon) is out for the rest of the playoffs and the Spurs will likely start Patty Mills, with rookie Murray also seeing increased "PT." Also, SG Jonathan Simmons averaged 13.2 points against the Rockets, after averaging only 3.6 in the first round against Memphis.
Golden State:Golden Curry (27.1) and Durant (23.3) have played very well so far, although the team's third "big scorer," Klay Thompson, has struggled. Thompson averaged 22.3 points during the regular season but has reached 20 points just twice in the first eight playoff games, averaging 16.3 PPG on 40.7% shooting. However, Draymond Green is picking up the scoring slack, averaging 14.9 PPG (on 51.2% from three-point range) plus adding 8.5 RPG and 9.1 APG while always playing great defense.
The pick: The Spurs took two of three from the Warriors during the regular season, with one of those wins being a 129-100 stunner on opening night at Golden State. Hard to believe taht the Warriors won't be well aware of that and with no Parker and a less than 100 percent Leonard, the Spurs don't figure to stay withing 'shouting distance' of the Warriors here in Game 1. Lay the points and make the Warriors a 10* play.
San Antonio: Kawhi Leonard is nursing a sprained left ankle that kept him out of the clinching Game 6 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday but the good news for the Spurs is that Leonard will have had a full four days off before Sunday's opener. He is expected to play against Golden State today. Power forward LaMarcus Aldridge took a more prominent role in Leonard's absence in Game 6 at Houston. He produced his best performance of the postseason with 34 points and 12 rebounds, well above his average 16.8 points and 8.0 rebounds this postseason. PG Tony Parker (quadriceps tendon) is out for the rest of the playoffs and the Spurs will likely start Patty Mills, with rookie Murray also seeing increased "PT." Also, SG Jonathan Simmons averaged 13.2 points against the Rockets, after averaging only 3.6 in the first round against Memphis.
Golden State:Golden Curry (27.1) and Durant (23.3) have played very well so far, although the team's third "big scorer," Klay Thompson, has struggled. Thompson averaged 22.3 points during the regular season but has reached 20 points just twice in the first eight playoff games, averaging 16.3 PPG on 40.7% shooting. However, Draymond Green is picking up the scoring slack, averaging 14.9 PPG (on 51.2% from three-point range) plus adding 8.5 RPG and 9.1 APG while always playing great defense.
The pick: The Spurs took two of three from the Warriors during the regular season, with one of those wins being a 129-100 stunner on opening night at Golden State. Hard to believe taht the Warriors won't be well aware of that and with no Parker and a less than 100 percent Leonard, the Spurs don't figure to stay withing 'shouting distance' of the Warriors here in Game 1. Lay the points and make the Warriors a 10* play.
