The Western Conference Finals is finally set. The Warriors and Spurs are the two teams fighting to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. The Warriors have had an easy road up to this point, as they swept the Trailblazers and the Jazz in order to reserve their spot. The Spurs have had the longer and harder road, playing a total of 13 games. They went a full seven games against the Grizzlies and six games against James Harden and the Rockets. The Spurs need to make sure Kawhi Leonard is healthy for this series, as he is battling an ankle injury.
The Warriors seem to be hitting their peak, as Steph Curry and Kevin Durant have been the leading scorers for their team. How will this series pan out? Who has the advantage?
Health is key
The fate of the Spurs in this series is all on Kawhi Leonard's shoulders. Leonard injured his ankle in the fourth quarter of Game 5 vs. the Rockets. He sat out Game 6 as well, where the Spurs dominated the Rockets 114-75. This was a critical win because Leonard has a few extra days to rest before they take on Golden State. The Spurs said he will be ready to play in Game 1, but will he be at 100 percent? Kawhi's defensive abilities can't be replaced and he is the primary scorer for the team. Tony Parker is already out for the remainder of the playoffs with a quad injury so the Spurs can't afford to lose Kawhi too.
If he isn't 100 percent, the Spurs won't be able to keep up with the Warriors' explosive offense and they will get run out of the building.
The Warriors are healthy at this point in the playoffs. Kevin Durant was battling calf issues but those seem to be a thing of the past now. Their only concern is Steve Kerr who has been ruled out indefinitely because of complications with his back.
Mike Brown has filled in for him and he has done a great job, but you have to wonder if there will be a situation where they miss Kerr's input and fail to make the right adjustment. This is a stretch, but anything can happen in these NBA playoffs. The Warriors need to be concerned about finding a person who can stop Kawhi on the offensive end of the court.
Old-school vs. new-school
The Spurs are old-school, relying on the pick-and-roll to get shot opportunities. They have a big man down low in LaMarcus Aldridge who can play back to the basket or face up and make you pay. He played well in Game 6, scoring 34 points and grabbing 12 boards. Aldridge could have a big series, as the Warriors don't have a player who can match his size and strength on the court. The closest player is Draymond Green, but he is undersized against the bigger Aldridge. Kawhi Leonard will be critical in this series. He needs to take advantage of the switches off the pick-and-roll and make the Warriors pay. He has a complete offensive game and that needs to show in this series.
The Warriors are new-school and play fast on the offensive end. They thrive on scoring in transition, so the Spurs need to limit their turnovers and prevent long rebounds. They are a three-point shooting team led by Steph Curry. Curry can get hot at any moment just like the rest of his teammates. They have Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green as other options who can drain the three-ball. Kawhi will be a primary defender on Durant, but all the other Spurs need to make sure they stay on their man so the Warriors don't get open looks. If you try to get in a shootout with the Warriors, you will lose, so the Spurs need to make sure their defense is on point for the entire series or they will get burned.
The Western Conference Finals is shaping up to be a great series. With Kawhi Leonard's health a big concern, Aldridge needs to be ready to take a bigger role on offense. The Warriors haven't faced much resistance in the playoffs but they will now. The Spurs will give it everything they have, and this series is going to be a classic.
