San Antonio Spurs vs Golden State Warriors: Predictions, Odds and Roster Notes

Where: Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA

When: Wednesday, February 6th at 10:30 PM EST

How (TV/Radio): ESPN, KENS, NBC Sports Bay Area | 95.7 The Game, WOAI 1200 AM

San Antonio Spurs (Away)

Head Coach: Gregg Popovich {All-Time 1229-563 | SAS}

The San Antonio Spurs are ranked sixth in the NBA’s Western Conference with a record of 32-23. While their win-loss record all but makes them equal to the Houston Rockets in fifth place, a matter of win percentage keeps them below their Texas rivals.

Over the last ten games the Spurs have been brilliant. Despite coming off of a loss they have been 7-3 with a point differential of +2.3. Now that the Spurs have Demar Derozan back in the lineup and Lonnie Walker ready to contribute, the Spurs are at full health for the second half of the season.

It will be a matchup of playoff rivals when the Spurs face the Warriors. The Warriors have had the Spurs’ number as of late, but the Spurs’ system and players are revitalized and motivated to climb back up the rankings. With the West so close in the table, Gregg Popovich is sure to have his team focused on the task at hand.

Golden State Warriors (Home)

Head Coach: Steve Kerr {All-Time 302-78 | GSW}

After a blip in the schedule head coach Steve Kerr has Golden State Warriors back in first in the Western Conference. With a record of 37-15, a recent loss for the Denver Nuggets helped the Warriors to regain a foothold on pole position in the West.

The Warriors are starting to get their groove back and the rest of the league should be concerned. With a record of 9-1 in their last ten and sporting a point differential of +7.1, the Warriors have been able to dominate their competition.

Steve Kerr will hope to coach his team to a victory over his mentor Gregg Popovich. The Warriors are at full-strength and full potential offensively with Cousins back in the lineup. But with Derozan and Aldridge’s exemplary talents for the Spurs, the Warriors can’t afford to allow either player to run rampant.

What’s At Stake?

These Western Conference rivals have met a number of times over the span of their respective histories. In the all-time series the San Antonio Spurs lead the Golden State Warriors 108-60.

A win for the San Antonio Spurs would bring them within half a game of equalling the Portland Trail Blazers for fourth in the Western Conference.

Should the Golden State Warriors win, they would regain first in the Western Conference from the Denver Nuggets.

Questions to answer

Should the Spurs ignore the leagues cry for more modern basketball?

Will the Warriors stand pat at the deadline?

We are going to compare the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors in an attempt to see who has the advantage in this matchup.

The Spurs Don’t Shoot Many Threes

The San Antonio Spurs are very much a product of their system and a product of their players. Lead by Demar Derozan and LaMarcus Aldridge, the San Antonio Spurs were never primed to be a team that would shoot a massive amount of three-pointers.

For better or worse, shooting threes seems to be the standard for today’s NBA. The Spurs are 29th in three-point attempts but first in overall three-point percentage. That efficiency, while laughable in terms of output, is incredible in terms of execution.

Frankly speaking the Spurs should likely ignore critics of their offensive play. They are sixth in offensive rating and have a 26-17 record when they attempt fewer threes than their opponents. The Spurs offence has and always will be predicated on ball and player movement for efficient shots. Three or two it doesn’t matter to the Spurs, so long as it goes in.

Rumors Are Rampant At the NBA Trade Deadline

It seems that all of the NBA’s top teams are gearing up to make a run at the Larry O’Brien Trophy with a statement addition at the conclusion of the NBA Trade Deadline. For the Warriors it seems to be quite the contrary. Head coach Steve Kerr admitted:

“The sense in here is ‘that’s everybody else’s problem. We’re in a different position where we have our team. We have an empty roster spot, so we might add somebody, but I think the chances of us making a trade are highly unlikely.”

The Warriors are incredibly comfortable with their roster. Who wouldn’t be with a squad touting five All-Stars and two MVP’s? Should the Warriors make a move it would likely be for a player to fill their empty roster spot. While the Warriors have filled their team with the brightest of the NBA’s stars, adding another one just doesn’t seem to be in the cards.

San Antonio Spurs Roster Notes

F Dante Cunningham – 3 Feb 2019 – Day To Day (Right Ankle Soreness) – Cunningham is listed as Probable for Monday’s (Feb 4) game.

G Dejounte Murray – 6 Dec 2018 – Out For Season (Knee) – After having successful surgery to repair his torn ACL, Murray is currently rehabbing with the hope of being ready for the 2019-2020 season.

G Derrick White – 3 Feb 2019 – Out (Sore Right Heel) – White was ruled OUT for Monday’s (Feb 4) game.

Golden State Warriors Roster Notes

C Damian Jones – 7 Dec 2018 – Out For Season (Torn Left Pectoral) – The Warriors announced that Jones had surgery on his torn left pectoral muscle. He’s expected to start rehab in six weeks. There is no timetable for his return.

Head-to-Head: Demar Derozan (SAS) vs Klay Thompson (GSW)

Demar Derozan

Shooting Guard | 6-7, 220lb (201cm, 99kg) | USC | Exp. 9 Years

21.2 PPG | 6.2 APG | 5.5 RPG | 1.0 SPG | 0.5 BPG | 2.6 TOV | .461 FG% | .171 3P%

Klay Thompson

Shooting Guard | 6-7, 215lb (201cm, 97kg) | Washington State | Exp. 7 Years

21.8 PPG | 2.0 APG | 4.0 RPG | 1.2 SPG | 0.6 BPG | 1.6 TOV | .465 FG% | .383 3P%

When the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs meet again on February 9th the world will get a closer look at the all-star selection/snub debate between Klay Thompson and Demar Derozan. Thompson is once again and All-Star while Derozan has been left off of the list for the first time in four years. The competition between these two will be intense.

Demar Derozan missed three straight games with an ankle injury. Upon his return the Spurs returned to their winning ways, albeit with some concerns about Derozan’s shooting. Derozan shot 31% and 30% in his last two matches since his return from injury. While he contributes on the boards and assists in a way that his scoring doesn’t need to be massive, he must increase his efficiency moving forward.

Once again Klay Thompson has become a representative of how to be a spot-up shooter in today’s NBA. Named an All-Star Reserve by the coaches this year, Thompson’s ability to convert on shots nullifies the fact that he is an All-Star with an 81% assisted field-goal rate. Fortunately for Thompson he is a stout defender, but will be challenged on every play by Derozan. It should be an intense contest.

San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors Predictions and Odds

The odds makers have the Golden State Warriors favoured over the San Antonio Spurs by 11, with an over/under of 110.