Even without All-Stars in the game, the San Antonio Spurs vs Golden State Warriors game Saturday night still carries weight in the standings and should be fun to watch.
In case you missed it, a lot of players from both the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors will miss tonight’s game. We’ve gone from a highly anticipated marquee matchup to a day of rest, with thoughts being sent out to LaMarcus Aldridge.
Aldridge will miss the game due to an occurrence of a minor heart arrhythmia. Kevin Durant will obviously miss with his knee injury. Tony Parker is resting his back. Kawhi Leonard is now going through the league’s concussion protocol. And Steve Kerr announced last night he would rest Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala.
While Aldridge will be in our thoughts, and that situation is bigger than basketball, there will still be a game tonight. So let’s try and take a look at some of the reasons to watch the game tonight.
Bench vs. Bench
So it’s not even the team’s starters out, but multiple bench players will miss the game. Iguodala for Golden State, and young players Dejounte Murray and Kyle Anderson for the Spurs. Murray has already been ruled out with a groin injury, and he was likely going to start in Parker’s place again. But luckily, these are very good teams, without good players up and down their roster. But the advantage goes Spurs with the likely starters being:
- GSW: Shaun Livingtson, Patrick McCaw, Matt Barnes, Kevon Looney, Zaza Pachulia
- SAS: Patty Mills, Danny Green, Jonathon Simmons, David Lee, Dewayne Dedmon
It will be interesting to see if coach Gregg Poppovich puts Pau Gasol, who has become the team’s first big off the bench since his injury, in the starting lineup to offset losing a few starters. Or elects to continue bringing him off the bench. Or decides to sit him as well.
From these lineups, the Livingston-Mills matchup and Barnes-Simmons matchup will be fun to watch. But the Spurs have the clear advantage.
David West Revenge Game
Or San Antonio Spurs revenge game, however you look at it. Point is, West left the Spurs after just one season on his ring chase. He may feel like he needs to show what they’re missing, or they may feel like burying him for leaving. Either way, even if he comes off the bench, I expect West to shoot at least eight shots tonight. And who knows, he may just go off. See David West drop 25-30 points again would be so fun.
JaVale McGee
You want to talk about someone trying to steal the spotlight? McGee might just go for broke and try to dunk the ball 100 times. Seeing his chance to prove Shaq wrong and be the big man he always knew he could be. One can only hope. Because if 25-30 from West is fun, 25-30 from McGee is the carnival (or something you think is fun). But let’s face it, no matter who plays, waiting to see what McGee does is always on everyone’s watch lists.
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Despite the additional bench players that will see extended minutes in this game, it is still a “big” game. With just a game and a half separating these two teams in the standings, the Spurs could come out that much closer to taking the 1-seed.