NBA fans were watching in shock as the San Antonio Spurs jumped out to a quick lead in the first quarter of the Western Conference Finals Sunday night against the Golden State Warriors.
The Spurs received help from their deadeye small forward Kawhi Leonard who was determined to send a message in the game one matchup. The Spurs carried the momentum into the 3rd quarter. It was at that moment when Leonard left the game after he reinjured his left ankle.
Kevin Durant and Steph Curry decided to act on San Antonio's inconvenience. The Warriors went on an 18-0 run which enabled the team to come back from a 25 point deficit to capture a victory at Oracle Arena.
After the performance displayed in game one, many fans are wondering if the Spurs will have enough star power to handle the Golden boys of Golden State without their best player on the court. With Kawhi Leonard out for game 2, will the Spurs fall behind 0-2 in the western conference finals?
Calling all playmakers
With the absence of Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs will have to rely on other players to step up and make big plays. Besides Kawhi, only one other player scored more than 20 points in Sunday night's matchup. LaMarcus Aldridge was able to score 28 points against the big men of Golden State while shooting a solid 45% from the field.
In addition to Aldridge's scoring outburst, Manu Ginobili was able to bring in 17 points as well.
The team will have to rely on help from their star center Pau Gasol and their guard Patty Mills. It is no secret that when hot the two can score just as well as any other play on the team, but in game one, neither player showed up. Patty Mills shot an unacceptable 12% from the floor, only making one shot on eight attempts during his 37 minutes on the hardwood.
If the Spurs want to have a chance of winning Tuesday night's matchup, Pau Gasol and company must be able to make big plays when it matters. Everyone must be able to produce for the sake of the team. The Warriors are not a team that can be beaten through the play of one player.
Golden Stars will continue to shine
The Golden State Warriors will continue playing their brand of basketball Tuesday night.
Steph Curry will continue to expose defenders from the three point line as he has done so throughout his career. In game one, Curry walked off the court shooting a solid 44% from beyond the arch.
Out of his 40 points, 21 points were accumulated from the deadly three ball. Kevin Durant will also be a player to watch. The league is aware that Kevin can score better than most players in the league and he will do just that without one the best defenders on the court.
Durant scored 34 points in 38 minutes while shooting 52 percent last game and will be looking for similar results. Although Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were silent in game one, expect for them to shine in game 2.
They both will be looking for redemption against a Spurs team who has to demonstrate mental toughness after losing on Sunday. If the Spurs can hold on in game 2, they will be dodging a huge bullet. Hopefully, the Spurs come to play Tuesday night.
