Spurs at Warriors
The Western Conference finals series that the NBA missed out on last season is finally about to happen when the top-seeded Golden State Warriors and the No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs face off in Game 1 in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday. The Warriors and Spurs finished with the top two records in the West last season as well, but an early exit by San Antonio gave Golden State an easier path to the NBA Finals.
The Warriors have yet to suffer a loss this postseason after rolling over Portland and Utah in the first two rounds and should be well-rested with an entire week off between series. The Spurs were pushed harder in the second round and enter the conference finals at less-than full strength with point guard Tony Parker (quadriceps tendon) out for the rest of the playoffs and star small forward Kawhi Leonard nursing a sprained left ankle that kept him out of the clinching Game 6 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday. Leonard will have a full four days off before Sunday's opener and is expected to play against Golden State, which lost two of the three meetings against San Antonio in the regular season. "They’re a machine," Warriors forward Kevin Durant told reporters of the Spurs. "They just keep going at you, no matter who’s on the court."
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE SPURS: Leonard's absence in Thursday's 114-75 win at Houston allowed power forward LaMarcus Aldridge to take on a more prominent role, and he responded with 34 points and 12 rebounds in his best performance of the postseason. "Well, you know, he’s been like that through these first two rounds," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich told reporters of Aldridge. "He’s really turned it on, demanded the ball, got in good position using his body, and not always settling for a jumper. (He got) to the rim, did a really good job." Aldridge, who averaged 21.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in two games against Golden State during the regular season, is averaging 16.8 points and eight boards in the postseason.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Golden State floods the floor with shooting weapons like Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and is adding another in power forward Draymond Green, who is shooting 51.2 percent from 3-point range in the playoffs. Green, who is a leading contender along with Leonard for the Defensive Player of the Year Award and is the emotional leader of the team, has the support of acting head coach Mike Brown to continue to be himself. "(Head coach) Steve (Kerr) didn’t hold him back, and I don’t want to, either," Brown told reporters. "We want him to be Draymond. We feed off his emotion. We feed off his passion and his leadership. We’re good with how he is."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Kerr (complications from back surgery) is not expected to coach in the series.
2. San Antonio SG Jonathan Simmons averaged 13.2 points against the Rockets after posting 3.6 in the first round against Memphis.
3. Thompson averaged 22.3 points during the regular season but reached 20 twice in the first eight playoff games.