Top-10 reasons Golden State Warriors won’t repeat as NBA champions
By Robert Judin
1. San Antonio Spurs
It seems like the San Antonio Spurs are always going to be contending for a championship, and that’s probably because Tim Duncan may actually be ageless.
Gregg Popovich is the best and most respected head coach in the entire NBA. He has his trio back for one more push. Well, we can only assume that this will be Manu Ginobili’s last go. He’s 38 years old and can only play for so long. But for now, he’s still a valued member of the bench.
Tony Parker is still one of the league’s best point guards. He averaged 14.4 points and five assists last season in 68 games for San Antonio.
Danny Green provided some much needed three-point shooting. He shot 42 percent from behind the arc.
The most impressive player from the Spurs has to be Kawhi Leonard. Leonard has gone from being the No. 15 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft to being a role player in Popovich’s system to being an NBA Finals MVP.
Leonard has evolved into an all-around threat. He can score from the perimeter. He can get to the basket, and he’s already one of the best defenders in the league. He proved that by winning his first Defensive Player of the Year award last year.
The scary part is the Spurs would have contended for a championship anyway, but they went out and signed LaMarcus Aldridge this Summer. Aldridge and Duncan will provide interior scoring and the ability to work the offense from the inside out whenever they want because they can both knock down outside jumpers.
Oh, and when you thought it stopped there, the Spurs also signed David West, too. Between West, Aldridge, Duncan and Boris Diaw, San Antonio will likely have the best front court in the Western Conference.
Again, without David Lee, it will be tough for Golden State to match that kind of low-post offense.