Game Info

• Tip Off: 7:30 PM PT
• Television: ESPN, SNET1 (Canada)

San Antonio Spurs Team Profile

• Offensive Efficiency: 107.5 (2^nd in NBA playoffs)
• Defensive Efficiency: 97.2 (5^th in NBA playoffs)

Scope the Opposition: 48 Minutes of Hell.

Preview: This installment of the Golden State Warriors is now sailing in uncharted waters. They will face an elimination game at Oracle Arena when they host the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals tonight.

Gregg Popovich and company shellacked the Dubs in Game 5 in San Antonio. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were rendered ineffective thanks in large part to a great defensive effort by the Spurs.

They challenged the Warriors’ starting backcourt on every possession. Popovich’s defensive game plan forced Curry and Thompson into putting the ball on the floor to gain any type of separation.

Consequently, the Splash Brothers were often surrounded and corralled by multiple defenders.

Further exacerbating matters for the Warriors, the Spurs’ coaching staff refused to let Curry off the hook. His mobility was clearly affected by his injured ankle and San Antonio made him chase Danny Green through a plethora of screens.

Curry seemed to wear down as the game went on and kept losing his primary assignment. If Curry’s movements are hampered once again, Mark Jackson must consider sitting his leading scorer.

Obviously, if Curry is making shots and facilitating the offense, the Warriors can live with that even if he is somewhat physically compromised. However, if the Davidson product submits a performance identical to what was witnessed in Game 5, the Dubs’ star must sit.

It’s an incredibly tough call, but it could be the difference between keeping the contest close and stealing it at the end or simply getting blown out at home.

It’s worth noting Andrew Bogut missed some time in Game 5 as well due to injury. The Aussie only played a mere 19 minutes and collected four rebounds and four fouls for his troubles.

The Warriors will undoubtedly need him for a few more minutes. Otherwise, Jackson will have to turn to Carl Landry, Festus Ezeli and Andris Biedrins. Perhaps the Warriors can get by for a few minor stretches with that trio, but for the entirety of the game it’s a hurdle the Warriors might not overcome.

With that said, the Warriors have an emerging player in Harrison Barnes. His confidence is at an all-time high. The former Tar Heel has looked incredibly comfortable in the past two games of the series against the Spurs.

He has taken the shots he wants and more specifically in Game 5 he picked his spots masterfully. He got himself to the free throw line, shook free from his defender for good mid-range jumpers and spaced the floor well.

If Curry can give them anything tonight and Barnes replicates his previous back-to-back outings, there is a big chance the Western Conference semifinals gets extended to a decisive Game 7.

However, this is contingent on their defense showing up. The Spurs converted 51.9 percent of their field goals in Game 5 and also made 10-of-21 shots from 3-point range. The Warriors were routinely a step slow — Curry was partly to blame here – and it cost them.

This has been arguably the best second round series of the 2013 playoffs and it almost seems like a shame that it’s scheduled to soon end.

Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them in the comments section or you can contact me by email at [email protected].

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Game Info

• Tip Off: 6:30 PM PT
• Television: TNT

San Antonio Spurs Team Profile

• Offensive Efficiency: 105.9 (2^nd in NBA playoffs)
• Defensive Efficiency: 97 (4^th in NBA playoffs)

Scope the Opposition: 48 Minutes of Hell.

Preview: One of the most exciting settings in the postseason is the swing game.

With the series tied at two games apiece, Game 5 comes with a lot of intrigue. The obvious discussion topic is the availability of Stephen Curry.

Although no one doubts he will play tonight, there are some concerns involving the amount of minutes he will see as well as his effectiveness during that timeframe. This is unquestionably one of the most interesting subplots in the series so far but it pales in comparison to another one: the Golden State Warriors have looked like the home team in San Antonio.

Lost in the fact Golden State suffered a huge heartbreaker by losing Game 1 on the road is the notion they outplayed the San Antonio Spurs for roughly 44 minutes.

Game 2 mirrored the first contest in some respects but the Dubs pulled out the head-to-head matchup on the road. In San Antonio, the duo of Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes played like world-beaters.

Their production as well as the open looks they generated for their teammates made it as such that Golden State’s offensive execution looked crisp and on schedule practically on every possession.

So far in the Western Conference semifinals, the Warriors are scoring 108.4 points per 100 possessions on the road according to NBA.com’s advanced stats tool. This obviously comes with a big caveat: Curry played both games in San Antonio operating with great mobility.

At present time, the Warriors have no such luxury. Jarrett Jack will have to play bigger and better much like he did in Games 2 and 4.

The good news for Warriors fans is that he’s proven he can be counted on occasionally in contests with pressure at its highest.

Also, the use of Harrison Barnes against Tony Parker should alleviate some of the scoring responsibilities that fall on the shoulders of the Warriors’ leading scorer.

Keep in mind, consistently attacking Parker with Barnes (when he switches in the pick-and-roll) will wear down the Frenchman and limit his effectiveness down the stretch.

Provided the Dubs maintain their offensive flow and complement it with Andrew Bogut’s defensive brilliance, Mark Jackson’s group should be in position to steal Game 5 late.

Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them in the comments section or you can contact me by email at [email protected].

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Game Info

• Tip Off: 6:30 PM PT
• Television: TNT, SNET1 (Canada)

San Antonio Spurs Team Profile

• Offensive Efficiency: 111.0 (1^st in NBA playoffs)
• Defensive Efficiency: 90.6 (1^st in NBA playoffs)

Scope the Opposition: 48 Minutes of Hell.

Preview: The San Antonio Spurs will host the Golden State Warriors tonight (note the early tip off time) in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

The Spurs have been waiting for their second round opponent for quite some time by virtue of handling their business and sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round of the postseason.

Many have varying opinions on how this current series might play out, and the Warriors World staff is no exception. Here is how our predictions shake out:

• Rasheed Malek: Warriors in six.
• Ethan Sherwood Strauss: Spurs in five.
• Jack Winter: Spurs in five.
• Jesse Taylor: Spurs in seven.
• J.M. Poulard: Spurs in six.

There is an argument to be made this is the least compelling matchup of the postseason, but fans should nonetheless enjoy this series given the teams and players involved.

Both squads come into tonight’s head-to-head battle with a couple of interesting storylines. Granted they are flying under the radar in comparison to Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant’s postseason performances that seem to stand on opposite sides of the spectrum.

So, your links on these respective teams.

Golden State Warriors

• 2^nd round preview: Over at the No-Look Pass, I share my thoughts on the Dubs’ playoff run as well as how they stack up against the Spurs.
• 5-on-5: Pressure, matchups, X-factors and winners are discussed in ESPN.com’s most recent installment of 5-on-5. Our own Jack Winter and Ethan Sherwood Strauss chimed in on this one.
• Better Without Lee: Ethan Sherwood Strauss over at TrueHoop essentially goes bizarro Biggie and says “less Lee, less problems”.

San Antonio Spurs

• Five things learned about the Spurs: Andrew A. McNeil of 48 Minutes of Hell shares his thoughts on how the Spurs have looked in the playoffs.
• Stopping Stephen Curry: The San Antonio Express’ front page courtesy of the Warrior Wire.
• Scouting Warriors-Spurs (Insider): Amin Elhassan and Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com preview the series. They discuss small ball, Andrew Bogut vs. Tim Duncan and dealing with Stephen Curry.

Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them in the comments section or you can contact me by email at [email protected].

Follow @ShyneIV

Game Info

• Tip Off: 7:30 PM PT
• Television: TNT (national), CSN-BA (local), SNET1 (Canada)

Denver Nuggets Team Profile

• Offensive Efficiency: 104.1 (7^th in NBA playoffs)
• Defensive Efficiency: 109.8 (15^th in NBA playoffs)

Scope the Opposition: Roundball mining Company.

Preview: Closeout games are difficult.

In Game 5, the Denver Nuggets came out at home with tons of energy and played like a group that simply did not want their season to end. For the first time in this series, it felt as though they knew their identity.

The Nuggets dominated the paint, won the turnover margin and finally seized control of the rebounding battle. Except perhaps for the turnovers, everyone expected Denver to control these facets from the opening game of their first round matchup with the Golden State Warriors.

Lo and behold, George Karl finally got his team playing to its strength in the fifth game of the series. His team has the size and the athletes, but the Warriors have been seemingly a step ahead for most of the series in terms of energy plays until Game 5.

The Dubs had been the more physical and tougher team after four contests.

With that said, let’s not get carried away with this narrative either. With roughly five minutes left in Game 5, Golden State was well within striking distance. If not for a few horrendous moving screens — three of them — down the stretch, the Warriors might very well have earned themselves a second round berth.

Also, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson missed two wide-open looks from 3-point range late that would have put tremendous pressure on Karl’s unit to execute with their season hanging in the balance.

This is incredibly pertinent.

The Warriors lost most of the categories they had been winning in this series and still came away with an opportunity to steal the game.

The reason for this is simple: execution.

An argument could be made that so far in the playoffs, Mark Jackson’s group has done a better job of executing their offense and finding the shots they want. Indeed, if there is one lasting image in this series, it’s the one of Curry and Thompson firing away open shots from downtown.

Jackson has orchestrated this by using some of Denver’s tactics against them. Jared Dubin over a Hoopchalk did a fantastic job of breaking down the double pick-and-roll Golden State has used to free up Curry from the trap:

For much of this series, and especially since David Lee went out in Game 1, the Nuggets have been trapping Stephen Curry as he comes around the screen on pick-and-rolls. To give him a little extra space, the Warriors send an extra screener here on this play.

It stands to reason the Dubs will continue with this strategy all the while mixing and matching based on whatever Karl throws at Golden State.

With that said, execution alone won’t be sufficient. With a second round date with the San Antonio Spurs on the line, the Warriors need an abundance of energy plays.

Whether that comes in the rebounding or turnover department, winning at least one of these areas is almost mandatory at this point.

One of two things will await the Warriors after tonight: Game 7 in Denver or Game 1 in San Antonio. The result is up to them…

Quick note: no postgame reactions (grades) tonight.

Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them in the comments section or you can contact me by email at [email protected].

Follow @ShyneIV

Game Info

• Tip Off: 5:00 PM PT
• Television: TNT (national), CSN-BA (local), TSN2 (Canada)

Denver Nuggets Team Profile

• Offensive Efficiency: 103.1 (tied for 7^th in NBA playoffs)
• Defensive Efficiency: 112.3 (last in NBA playoffs)

Scope the Opposition: Roundball Mining Company.

Preview: The Golden State Warriors have won three games in a row and currently have an opportunity to close out the series today — notice the early tip off — on the road.

After winning Game 4 at Oracle Arena, the Dubs put the Denver Nuggets in a tight situation where they are currently facing elimination. There are multiple factors that have allowed the Warriors to string along victories against the Nuggets, but none more important than their shooting.

Game 4 notwithstanding, Golden State has consistently won the rebounding battle and it’s given them an opportunity to close out defensive possessions and get into the half-court and execute. Also, it’s been a plus in offsetting their negative turnover margin.

But again, the shooting has simply been sensational. Through four games, the Dubs are converting 53 percent of their field goals and 44.1 percent of their 3-pointers against the Nuggets.

Jarrett Jack, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have made it rain from all over in the series despite Denver’s defensive schemes.

Curry has seen every Nuggets defender take a chance at guarding him and he’s eaten all of them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. None of them have put the clamps on him.

Even when George Karl tilted his defense towards the Warriors’ leading scorer, he simply found his open teammates for high percentage shots.

This leaves Karl with one small adjustment that could possibly still give his team a shot in this series: shutting down Jack.

So far, Denver has done everything possible to take out Curry and failed. Perhaps putting the likes of Andre Iguodala and Corey Brewer on Jack is the way to go.

Curry’s gotten his no matter what, but Jack has been incredibly lethal in this series as evidenced by his 20 points and 8.3 assists per game on 62 percent shooting from the field so far in the postseason.

Jack has been torturing Denver defenders with mid-range jumpers, drives for floaters in the paint and layups. Allocating a bigger defender could potentially slow him down, especially in the face of the half-court trap where he’s struggled.

Obviously, making such a switch comes with a lot of trepidation. Placing Ty Lawson on Curry exposes the Nuggets to the 1-2 pick-and-roll that repeatedly hurt them in Game 1.

The Nuggets might not have a choice at this point. Curry, Thompson and Jack have given them fits and they will need to limit one of them for the sake of getting back into this series.

If such is the case, expect Jackson to counter by putting Curry in a plethora of pick-and-rolls to create mismatches. The adjustment might also tire out Lawson who has looked like an All-Star in this series with his spectacular drives.

Denver is now fighting for their playoff lives.

Desperation can create a sense of finality or result in a never say die attitude that brings forth a rush of adrenaline and emotion that carries a team.

Tonight, we’ll be seeing one of those.

Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them in the comments section or you can contact me by email at [email protected].

Follow @ShyneIV

Ty Lawson and George Karl.

Game Info

• Tip Off: 7:30 PM PT
• Television: CSN-BA, ESPN2

Denver Nuggets Team Profile

• Offensive Efficiency: 103.6 (7^th in NBA playoffs)
• Defensive Efficiency: 111.7 (13^th in NBA playoffs)

Scope the Opposition: Roundball Mining Company.

Preview: Depending on your allegiances, the Denver Nuggets are either in trouble or right where they want to be.

Fans of the Nuggets will quickly point out that Golden State’s hot perimeter shooting simply cannot be sustained. The Warriors are converting 46.8 percent of their 3-point shots in the series so far, which is an impressive figure all by itself.

But in addition, the Dubs’ mid-range shooting has actually been better. According to NBA.com’s advanced stats tool, the Warriors are converting an impressive 56.8 percent of their mid-range shots in this series. That figure is tops amongst all playoff teams and is bound to decrease at some point.

Combine that with Denver’s relentless interior attack that’s seen them manufacture 65 shots right at the basket through two contests and one can see why Nuggets fans are optimistic heading into Game 3 tonight at Oracle Arena.

But there’s also a frightening other side of the coin for George Karl and company.

Denver is forcing 17.5 turnovers per game in this series and yet they needed an Andre Miller out of body experience to pull out a victory in Game 1. In addition, despite the miscues, Mark Jackson’s unit was victorious in the second head-to-head playoff matchup between the teams by double digits.

As punishing as Denver’s inside scoring has been in this series, Golden State is right on their heels. The Warriors have attempted 57 shots directly at the rim against the Nuggets so far in this series and are a mere minus-six in terms of field goals made in these situations when compared to Denver.

This fact in itself might just force Karl’s hand and change his starting lineup. Denver not only needs rim protection, they also require a mobile big man capable of defending the pick-and-roll.

Indeed, part of the reason Stephen Curry and his teammates have been so proficient from 3-point land and mid-range stems from Denver’s inability to contain them off the dribble in the ball-screen game.

The Warriors ball handlers are simply blowing by their initial defender and kicking the ball out to open shooters. Also, Golden State has aggressively attacked mismatches in this series and scored with great regularity off them.

Whether it’s a big man defending a perimeter player or a point guard defending a bigger swingman, no one on the Nuggets team has been spared.

Also, the Warriors have dominated the rebounding battle and that must absolutely concern Karl. The shooting might fluctuate from quarter to quarter, but if Jackson’s bunch upholds this trend and reduces their miscues, Denver might be fighting an uphill battle at Oracle Arena tonight.

The Nuggets might get some relief on the rebounding front if Kenneth Faried plays better tonight when compared to the ineffective minutes he played in Game 2.

Nonetheless, Game 3 should offer a lot of intrigue and adjustments. Playoff games obviously have ebb and flows, but it’s worth noting that through two contests, the Golden State Warriors have looked like the better team.

We find out if they can replicate that tonight.

Quick note: No game postgame reactions (grades) tonight.

Statistical support provided by NBA.com.

Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them in the comments section or you can contact me by email at [email protected].

Follow @ShyneIV

Game Info

• Tip Off: 7:30 PM PT
• Television: TNT, CSN-BA

Denver Nuggets Team Profile

• Offensive Efficiency: 95.7 (10^th in NBA playoffs)
• Defensive Efficiency: 91.7 (4^th in NBA playoffs)

Scope the Opposition: Roundball Mining Company.

Preview: With David Lee scheduled to miss the remainder of the postseason with an injury; the consensus is that this series is over.

The Denver Nuggets were victorious in Game 1 without Kenneth Faried thanks in large part to a sensational performance by Andre Miller. Denver’s backup guard tortured the Warriors’ backcourt for 18 fourth quarter points and the game-winning layup.

With Faried rejoining his teammates and Golden State losing their lone All-Star, the mountain the Warriors must climb just gained some altitude and became frostier.

By no means is this a eulogy however.

Although replicating the Game 1 effort on the road will be a tough task, the Warriors coped with Lee’s absence in the final period. The addition of Faried certainly complicates things for Mark Jackson, but at this time he must find creative ways to lessen the blow of missing his starting power forward.

The idea of running players into the ground is never a good one, but Stephen Curry and Andrew Bogut are going to be heavily relied upon.

The Australian center was simply dominant defensively in his 31 minutes on the court in Game 1. With Bogut on the floor, Golden State held Denver to a mere 48.1 percent field goal shooting in the restricted area per NBA.com’s advanced stats tool.

Whenever the big man sat down for a breather, the Nuggets got far easier looks at the rim. Indeed, the Nuggets converted 66.7 percent of their shots in the restricted area with Bogut riding the pine.

He is simply a monstrous defensive player. Staggering his minutes and increasing his load to 36 minutes might just be the way to go.

Also, Bogut’s understanding of the Nuggets’ defensive scheme was part of the reason the Warriors scored far easier with the Aussie on the court. He adjusted his ball screen angles accordingly and rolled to the hoop when needed.

In other instances, he pick-and-popped and allowed Jarrett Jack to create driving lanes and get into the paint. His toughness and smarts help the Warriors tick.

Stephen Curry on the other hand played 43 minutes against the Nuggets in Game 1, and the five minutes where he rested were a little problematic.

The sample size is awfully small, but NBA.com’s advanced stats tool tells us the Warriors converted 33.3 percent of their shots with their leading scorer off the court.

The issue in this case was ball handling. The Nuggets trapped the pick-and-roll and applied token pressure in the corners. The Dubs ended up rushing some of their possessions or simply getting caught with nowhere to go.

Consequently, they took low percentage shots. Consider this stat: the Warriors were minus-10 with their starting point guard on the bench.

Jackson has two options here: play Curry 48 minutes in the Mile High city (unlikely) or flank Jack with another playmaker whenever Steph gets a breather. Keep in mind, this decision must come after choosing to go with small-ball or not.

Golden State doesn’t exactly have a multitude of playmakers sitting on the bench, but giving Richard Jefferson some minutes next to Klay Thompson and Jack might help the Dubs survive for a few minutes.

The Warriors are plus-11 with Curry and Bogut on the floor so far in this series. However, remove one of them from the equation, and the scoring differential is negative.

In other words, foul trouble notwithstanding, the duo of Curry and Bogut simply cannot sit at the same time.

Statistical support provided by NBA.com.

Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them in the comments section or you can contact me by email at [email protected].

Follow @ShyneIV

Game Info

• Tip Off: 7:30 PM PT
• Television: CSN-BA+

Portland Trail Blazers Team Profile

• Offensive Efficiency: 102.9 (tied for 13^th in NBA)
• Defensive Efficiency: 106.9 (27^th in NBA)

Leaders

• Points: LaMarcus Aldridge, 21.0 PPG
• Rebounds: J.J. Hickson, 10.4 RPG
• Assists: Damian Lillard, 6.4 APG
• Steals: Wesley Matthews, 1.3 SPG
• Blocks: LaMarcus Aldridge, 1.2 BPG
• Field Goal Percentage: J.J. Hickson, 56.3% FG
• 3-Point Field Goal Percentage: Wesley Matthews, 39.8% 3PT FG

Scope the Opposition: Portland Roundball Society.

Preview: Game 82.

The NBA regular season is going to finally end for the Golden State Warriors. They aren’t done playing basketball this year, but tonight’s contest will be the last they play without a do or die attitude.

If the Dubs are victorious on the road tonight, they will clinch the sixth spot in the Western Conference playoffs.

Portland is an incredibly tough venue for opposing teams. The home crowd always keeps the team energized and makes the stadium a hostile environment for road teams.

But to be honest, tonight’s contest doesn’t inspire much excitement.

The Trail Blazers are talented and quite entertaining. But that’s when their main guys suit up. LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews are listed as questionable for the head-to-head matchup. Nicolas Batum will miss the contest.

The Warriors must fight against complacency tonight. If the Blazers’ best players do not play in the game, Golden State might suffer a let down and a get soundly beaten.

The Toronto Raptors have been beating playoff teams with ease to close out the season. This is pertinent because we can only assume some squads took them lightly.

Hence, the Dubs better play tough and play hard on the road. Perhaps they get the win and even become part of history in the process.

Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them in the comments section or you can contact me by email at [email protected].

Follow @ShyneIV