NBA Gameday: Can Aldridge deliver huge performance vs Draymond?

Share

UPDATE (4:45pm) -- Andre Iguodala is out for tonight's Game 2 against the Spurs, the Warriors announced.

***

OAKLAND -- The Warriors try to take a 2-0 series lead while stretching their postseason win streak to 10 Tuesday, when they meet the Spurs at Oracle Arena for Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

Both teams could be without key players, as the Warriors may be without Sixth Man Andre Andre Iguodala and the Spurs almost certainly won’t have All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard.

The Warriors overcame a 25-point deficit Sunday to post a 113-111 victory in Game 1 and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

BETTING LINE

Warriors by 13.5

MATCHUP TO WATCH

Draymond Green & Co. vs. LaMarcus Aldridge: With Leonard out, Aldridge will have to bring his A game for the Spurs to have a chance of winning. He is capable; he delivered 34 points and 12 rebounds -- a plus-21 performance -- to offset Leonard’s absence in the closeout Game 6 against Houston last week. Green, however, is a vastly superior defender to anyone the Rockets have. And he’ll have help. It’s tough to imagine the Warriors allowing Aldridge to do enough to beat them at home.

INJURY REPORT

Warriors: F Andre Iguodala (L knee soreness) is listed as questionable. F Kevon Looney (L hip strain) is listed as out.

Spurs: F Kawhi Leonard (L ankle sprain) is listed as doubtful. G Tony Parker (L quadriceps tendon surgery) is listed as out.

ROAD TO THE CONFERENCE FINALS

The Warriors finished the regular season with a 67-15 record to earn the No. 1 overall seed in the postseason. They swept four games from Portland in the first round, and then swept four games from Utah in the conference semifinals.

The Spurs (61-21) earned the No. 2 overall seed. They defeated Memphis in six games in the first round, and then defeated Houston in six games in the conference semifinals.

SERIES HISTORY

Prior to winning Game 1, the Warriors lost two of three to San Antonio in the regular season. In the three seasons since Steve Kerr took over as coach, the Warriors are 6-5 against the Spurs. The teams last met in the playoffs in the 2012-13 conference semifinals, with San Antonio winning in six games.

THREE THINGS TO WATCH

KEVIN DURANT: After two separate injuries (knee, calf) caused him to miss time, Durant seems to be finding his stride. He is averaging 30 points over the last three games, shooting 54.1 percent from the field. With Leonard expected to sit, Durant could be in line for a big scoring night. He scored 20 points, on 7-of-10 shooting, in 17 minutes after Leonard left Game 1 in the third quarter.

THE TRAP FACTOR: Though there should be no such thing as a “trap game” in the playoffs, the Warriors may have some mental hurdles to clear. Leonard will be out and their last two wins over the Spurs came after wiping leads of more than 20 points. The Warriors have talked about having a better start. Let’s see if they can.

SPURS OFFENSE: San Antonio’s offense changes dramatically when Leonard is off the floor. There no longer is a ball-dominant player, which means much more ball movement and more inside-out action. Which makes the Spurs less predictable. The Warriors likely will have to spread their defense and do it deep into the shot clock.

Contact Us