As the Golden State Warriors look to rebound from their mistake-ridden loss in Phoenix on Monday, the San Antonio Spurs are looking for ways to fill the gap left behind by Manu Ginobli breaking a finger in his shooting hand. The Spurs are out for their 27th straight home victory over the W's, though with the likely reunion of starters David Lee, Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry the Warriors will likely have something to say about that.
The Spurs (3-2) lost all three games they were sans-Manu last year, and with him now missing extended time, the team will have to make some adjustments:
"It's going to be tough for us because he was playing at an All-Star level," point guard Tony Parker said. "And now we're going to have to have everybody pick it up."
Look for youngsters James Anderson and rookie Kawhi Leonard to see an uptick in minutes with Ginobli out, but Tony Parker and Tim Duncan will also have to shoulder much of the load.
As for the Warriors (2-3) they will hopefully have their trio of starters healthy and active for this game, something they've had only twice this season. David Lee's status is still uncertain, but hopefully will suit up. These guys need to be playing together, especially with all of the new faces around them, to gain continuity, though head coach Mark Jackson knows he needs to get rolling:
"I understand this is a process but this is a 66-game season and we need to speed up the process. I will find guys that are playing well, competing and executing the game plan and if that means playing five guys 48 minutes, I will."
The Warriors have been playing solid for three quarters or so over the past few games, then slowing down and losing in the fourth quarter. The bench has been contributing regularly, but If they can limit the mistakes and keep up the intensity on defense, they can make it a lot easier on themselves to get a win. Though the AT&T Center isn't exactly a kind place to them. The Warriors haven't won here since Valentine's Day in 1997; that's 26 consecutive games, and the longest road losing streak in the NBA.
Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. PT with coverage on CSN Bay Area and KNBR 680 AM.
For more on the Warriors, head over to Golden State of Mind to get in on the action. For the Spurs take, check out Pounding the Rock.