OAKLAND — If San Antonio was going to steal a game in this lopsided series, it was Monday night. The only way the Spurs, an undermanned, aging unit, would knock off the Warriors required several pieces to fall into place.
Many of them did.
The Spurs needed the Warriors, coming off a dominant 113-92 win in Game 1, to start Game 2 with little energy and poor execution. The Spurs needed the Warriors to revert to their poor defensive habits in the final month of the regular season, in which they allowed nearly 118 points per game in the final four contests. And the Spurs, devoid of a consistent No. 2 scorer, needed LaMarcus Aldridge to assert himself as the best offensive player on the floor.
All of that happened, at least for a time. It still didn’t matter.
Golden State’s 116-101 win Monday night, ignited by a monster second half, extended its opening-round lead to 2-0, squandering any hope for a competitive series. San Antonio needed two near-perfect halves to dethrone Golden State just once in Oracle Arena, but the Spurs only got one.
They took an early 20-17 lead in the first quarter, as Golden State struggled to generate open looks. The Warriors had 11 first-half turnovers. If it weren’t for Andre Iguodala’s three three-pointers in the game’s first four minutes, San Antonio would have likely rolled into the second quarter with a commanding early lead. The Spurs still led by six entering halftime.
But the Warriors launched a 12-3 run to start the second half. Klay Thompson heated up, then caught fire, scoring 25 of his 31 points in the second half.
Aldridge started the fourth quarter on the bench. Fewer than two minutes later, he was back on the court, the result of an 8-2 Golden State run to extend its lead to 11, but the game was effectively over.
After a 14-point performance, on only 12 shots, in Game 1, Aldridge’s 34 points Monday night still weren’t enough. He had it going from everywhere, whether he was drilling fallaway jumpers, scoring around the rim, or going a perfect 12-12 from the free throw line. He needed help, but got very little.
With the exception of missing 24 of their 28 three-point attempts, the Spurs improved in nearly every phase from their Game 1 thumping. They made 27 of 30 free throws, outscored the Warriors by 22 points in the paint, and limited their turnovers to nine.
They still lost — by 15 points.
Now the Spurs have to win four out of five against a team that looks unbeatable, even without two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry.
The absence of Kawhi Leonard, who has mysteriously remained sideline with a quad injury despite being cleared to play, has been too great for the Spurs. He would have given San Antonio a dynamic scoring option alongside Aldridge. Leonard would have provided an elite defensive presence to shadow Kevin Durant, who has averaged 28 points in the first two games and feasted on smaller defenders.
But Leonard isn’t coming back. Point guard Dejounte Murray doesn’t seem ready to impact this series. And Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Pau Gasol aren’t getting any younger.
Onto the Western Conference Semifinals we go.
