San Antonio Spurs: 3 takeaways from Game 1 vs. Warriors
3. Lineup choices will be key
Hoping to space the floor better, Gregg Popovich trotted out a Game 1 lineup with Danny Green at the 3, Kyle Anderson at the 4 and Aldridge manning the paint at center.
While he’s known as one of the better perimeter defenders the NBA has to offer, the 6’6″ Green had a tough time trying to stop the 6’10” Kevin Durant, who ended the game with 24 points and seven assists on 52.9 percent shooting in just 31 minutes of action.
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Green would be better served guarding the likes of Klay Thompson, who carries only an extra inch and attacks the rim much less than his MVP teammate.
If he’s thinking about tinkering with the starting lineup, Popovich should think about giving small forward Rudy Gay the starting nod in Game 2.
Gay, an 11-year veteran with a career 17.9 points per game career scoring average, would give San Antonio another scoring option to pair with LaMarcus Aldridge, while sliding Kyle Anderson to the bench would allow him to take control of the second unit — something the shooting-impaired Anderson would be better suited for.
With a depleted roster going up against the defending champs, Popovich will have to get creative with his rotation. Making Gay a starter could be just what the Spurs needed to give them an offensive boost while allowing Green to move back to his natural position of shooting guard.