NBA Playoffs 2017: 5 things we learned from the Warriors beating the Spurs
The Golden State Warriors completed the sweep over the San Antonio Spurs to advance to the NBA Finals. Here are five things we learned from this series.
Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant vs. Kawhi Leonard. Gregg Popovich vs. Steve Kerr. The San Antonio Spurs’ tried and tested system vs. the Golden State Warriors’ perfected formula. These intriguing storylines were gaining steam as the regular season was concluding. The top-two seeds in the Western Conference were on a collision course and could this finally be the year that they meet in the playoffs?
Just as fans across the NBA had expected, the Spurs advanced past the Grizzlies and Rockets in tough series to face a rested, hungry Warriors’ squad. The heavy favorites in the series and Game 1 was the No. 1 seed, Golden State. Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs came out and punched the Warriors in the mouth, grabbing a 23-point lead midway through the third quarter. A re-aggravation of an ankle injury for Kawhi Leonard — on a dirty (or not) play — left him sidelined the rest of the way. The Warriors splashed lots of 3-pointers and came back for a huge Game 1 victory.
Kawhi Leonard missed the rest of the series and with that went the competitiveness of the San Antonio Spurs. The Dubs won the remaining three games by an average margin of 20 points and swept their way into the NBA Finals. Spurs’ head coach, Gregg Popovich, tried to get the best out of his players, but just lacked the firepower to go up against a juggernaut. When the best player on your team in this series is a 39-year old teetering on retirement, you’ve got some problems.
The Warriors didn’t treat the Spurs any different than the Trail Blazers or the Jazz. Like Gregg Popovich said after the game, the Warriors aren’t just a collection of talent, they play a beautiful game and also play defense on the other end. With the Warriors headed to the NBA Finals and the Spurs headed for their summer vacation, let’s take a look at five things we learned from this Western Conference Finals’ series.