Matchups and Keys: Golden State Warriors Back in Action Against San Antonio Spurs
By Greg Chin
After what seems like an eternity without competitive basketball, the Golden State Warriors will resume their quest for a title against the San Antonio Spurs tonight. This will be their first game since the All-Star break, and judging from the way they were playing before the break, it was well-deserved and a much needed rest.
However, as is the case with first games from a lengthy layoff, the team’s performance is sure to be rusty. The Spurs, however, will have the advantage of having played the night before, and will have had an opportunity to shake most of their cobwebs off.
For the Warriors, they will find themselves tested over the final 31 games left in the season. While it’s natural to keep an eye on the impending playoffs and seedings, they will need to remain focused on the task at hand – conquering the regular season. It will be interesting to see how head coach Steve Kerr and his coaching staff approaches the business end of the season: will they continue with their generous rotations or will he start implementing playoff-style rotations for familiarity’s sake?
Key Matchups:
Tony Parker vs Stephen Curry: Fresh off a successful All-Star Weekend campaign, Stephen Curry will want to get back into the competitive groove with a good start. Tony Parker had the entire break to rest, as he didn’t participate in any of the All-Star events, and will be raring to go against the Warriors’ superstar. A battle of two elite point guards – this should be fun to watch.
Tim Duncan vs Draymond Green: Coming off his 30 points and 11 rebounds performance last night, Duncan might be rested as is the norm with the Spurs on the second game of back to backs. However, if he does play, Draymond Green will have to be at his best against the wily veteran. Equipped with a solid post game and a reliable midrange shot, Duncan is no slouch to play against.
Gregg Popovich vs Steve Kerr: Tonight, the acolyte takes on the master. In their first meeting this year, Pop took full honours as he bested Kerr. However, since then, Kerr has led the Warriors from strength to strength, while the Spurs have struggled with injuries. There’s a chance that Pop might rest some of his key players tonight, but if both squads are at full strength, the win might come down to coaching decisions.
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Keys to the Game:
- Get Out Early
The Warriors cannot afford to get off to a slow start. They might be rusty, but they’ll need to shake off the cobwebs quick. The Spurs have already played a game, so they’ll be further along than the Warriors, but you can be sure that if the Dubs get out to a big lead early, Pop will pull his starters and decide to rest them for most of the game.
- Getting Back into the Swing of Things
Heading into the All-Star break, the Warriors were the best team in the league. They boasted the league’s second best offense and the league’s best defense. This is their identity. A week long break shouldn’t disrupt their momentum, but it’s important that the Warriors find their groove as soon as possible. After yesterday’s slew of deals, the Western Conference just got a lot harder to navigate.
Prediction: Back to winning ways for the Warriors. There’s a good chance that Pop might rest his starters, and if he does, it’ll be an easy win for the Dubs. If he doesn’t, it’s redemption time for Kerr and his boys.