NBA Playoffs 2017: Warriors vs. Spurs Game 1 live stream: Watch online
By John Buhler
Game 1 of the 2017 Western Conference Finals between the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs will be on Sunday. Here is how to watch Game 1 online.
Sunday will be Game 1 of a series many of us have been waiting for. Not since the 2013 Western Conference Semifinals have the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs met in the NBA Playoffs. San Antonio advanced and ultimately reached the NBA Finals that year, but this looks to be a different story in 2017.
Golden State has reached the Western Conference Finals for the third straight year. Like the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference, the Warriors have completed two clean sweeps this postseason to reach the Conference Finals unscathed. Golden State pulverized the Portland Trail Blazers in round one and leveled the Utah Jazz in round two.
As for the Spurs, it has not been as easy of a road to the Western Conference Finals as the Warriors. They needed six games to get past two Southwest Division rivals: the Memphis Grizzlies in the Conference Quarterfinals and the Houston Rockets in the Conference Semifinals. Here is what the starting lineups for both teams in Game 1 on Sunday could look like.
San Antonio definitely enters this new best-of-seven series beat up. Only shooting guard Danny Green and power forward LaMarcus Aldridge have started all 12 Spurs playoffs games this postseason. Expect them to start again in Game 1 in Oakland.
Injuries at point guard and small forward could make figuring out those two spots a tad trickier. With Tony Parker out for the year, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has opted to use either rookie Dejounte Murray or veteran Patty Mills at the one. Since Golden State is tremendously gifted at point guard with Stephen Curry, probably lean towards Mills getting the starting nod over Murray. Experience matters in these sort of situations.
Kawhi Leonard will start at small forward if he’s healthy. Jonathon Simmons had the spot start in Game 6 versus Houston, as Leonard couldn’t go due to a bad ankle sprain in Game 5. Center had been the most confusing puzzle piece for Popovich to fit into his starting lineup. After trotting out Dewayne Dedmon and David Lee, Popovich has clearly settled into Pau Gasol at the five. He should start in Game 1.
As for the Warriors, this is an easy starting lineup for Steve Kerr/Mike Brown to create. Four of their five starters have played in all eight Warriors playoff games so far. Expect Curry to get the start at the point, Klay Thompson at the two, Draymond Green at power forward and Zaza Pachulia at center.
Kevin Durant will start out on the wing since he is healthy. Interestingly, Golden State opted to start rookie Patrick McCaw at the three in the two games that Durant missed over veteran forward Andre Iguodala.