NBA Playoffs 2017: 5 big questions for Warriors vs. Spurs matchup

1. Will the Warriors be 12-0 heading into the NBA Finals?

Spurs’ fans must feel disrespected, thinking “man, the shade is real,” as the kids like to say these days. But there’s a real possibility that the Warriors sweep the Spurs in this series and enter the NBA Finals undefeated in the postseason.

The last team to blast through the Western Conference without having a single loss was the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000-01. Growing up in the Bay Area as young kid at the time, I vividly remember rooting for the opposing teams, as Shaq and Kobe tore through teams and my heart that postseason.

Is is possible that this Golden State team pulls off a similar feat as those Lakers? They have the most potent team this league has probably ever seen, featuring two top-5 players and two other All-Stars. The Warriors have absolutely cruised through the playoffs to this point, not even breaking a sweat. San Antonio will present a different challenge, but the Spurs’ biggest advantage may be a non-player: head coach Gregg Popovich. Kawhi Leonard’s ankle injury will be a huge concern heading into the series as well.

The Gregg Popovich-led Spurs have only been swept once in the NBA Playoffs, against the Phoenix Suns in 2010. So what’s the likelihood that the Spurs get swept in this series against the Warriors? Highly likely. All the odds are stacked against San Antonio and this will be their toughest challenge all season long.

The Warriors are healthy and firing on all cylinders. They might be missing head coach Steve Kerr, but as long as acting head coach Mike Brown doesn’t do too much, that shouldn’t be a huge factor. Like the old saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Brown just has to continue what they’ve been doing and they should win this series, with games to spare.

Next: The 20 different emotions of Gregg Popovich

Las Vegas and I are thinking alike, as the Spurs are heavy, heavy underdogs in this series and I certainly believe that the Warriors will sweep San Antonio. This is a team like we’ve never before seen and they are going to be too much for a Spurs’ team to handle in a best-of-seven series. Expect fireworks from this much-anticipated Western Conference Finals, but like much of the earlier rounds, this should be a sweep.