Kyle Terada-USA Today Sports
The Western Conference Finals matchup has been set. The San Antonio Spurs took down the high-scoring threat of the Golden State Warriors in an elimination game Thursday night in Oakland.
It was an uncharacteristically poor offensive showing for both teams. Golden State’s one-two perimeter punch of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson was quiet for most of the evening and there was a moment in the fourth quarter when San Antonio veterans Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker had tallied nine points combined.
In the end, the Spurs proved that they exhibit superior depth as a team, and put an end to the Warriors’ 2013 Cinderella playoff run.
Golden State showed that it’s a piece short of being a legitimate Western Conference contender. The duo of Curry and Thompson, along with guard Jarrett Jack, can score in flurries when shooting well from the perimeter but those shots didn’t fall in game six, and the Warriors went out with a whimper in Oakland.
San Antonio looked the part Thursday night, but showed throughout the series that there are potential weaknesses to be exploited deeper in the playoffs.
The Spurs have the next two days off to get prepared both mentally and physically for the imposing force that is the Memphis Grizzlies. They can expect a physical and exhausting series from the Grizzlies, whose defensive stats topped the NBA this season.
The playoff exit of the Warriors is a bittersweet one for basketball fans. They are a budding group of young talent that is one of the most entertaining the league has to offer. If the franchise can manage to attract another integral piece, they may contend in 2014.
The Spurs have proven yet again, even with father time knocking, it’s too early to count this group of veterans out.
Jason Weingartner is an NBA and NFL contributor for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JaWeingartner or add him to your network on Google.
