San Antonio Spurs are the deeper and more dominant team against what
has to be considered the weakest opposition these two will face all
year.
Both teams had
soft openings that allowed them to get their well-oiled machines
rolling, Golden State overcame the loss of Kerr at the helm to achieve
the most amazing start to a season I have ever seen. Curry is fast becoming one of the best shooters I have ever seen (and I watched Bird and Gervin and Curry's Dad and Reggie and the Rifleman). He is an amazing talent. Love that kid.
But the opening records are meaningless. In a
normal year, if say half a dozen teams were 28-10 to start, we would all
say, "the beginning of the season doesn't mean ish ... I don't start caring til after the AS Break."
More important is how do these two machines look having built up epic records against weaker opposition?
Well,
against expectation the Spurs defense has gotten
better not
worse with the new additions. They have been blowing people out
because there is literally no loss between the first and second unit.
The front court of the Spurs SECOND UNIT is sick. And the third unit, if
it can be called that is turning out to not only understand the system,
but to have exceptionally unique performers (the athletic Simmons, the
BEAST Boban).
The absence of Duncan is meaningless - Spurs system is rolling.
Golden
State has lost recently and has not looked great without Curry -
implying an intense over-reliance on the starting five or at least on
Curry. Their second unit is good against weak competition but not so
good against strong defenses.
GOLDEN STATE IS HORRIBLE AT DEFENDING POINTS IN THE PAINT - SECOND WORST IN LEAGUE AFTER THE LAKERS.
They
beat you from outside and raining threes and Draymond dishes leading to
ball movement and they let you score layups. But the Spurs perimeter
defense is not going to stand for that.
The Spurs MVP is not really Kawhi Leonard, it's TEAM DEFENSE.
AND TO ALL YOU NAY SAYERS WHO
SAY "Pop doesn't care about midseason games he'll just toss in the
towel if we go down too much." - I say, that doesn't work this year
because when Pop puts the second ad third units in, they are hungry to
win and capable.
I boldly predict Spurs hold Go State under 100 and win 102-98.