Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors
The end of the season continues to be brutal for the San Antonio Spurs. After playing a late game on the West Coast against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Spurs must travel to take on the surging Golden State Warriors on the second game of a back-to-back. Luckily, they'll be on an even playing field with the Warriors, who blew out the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Advertisement
Things weren't pretty for the Spurs in their last contest with the Warriors. Just over a week ago, San Antonio lost in blowout fashion to Golden State 148-106. Don't expect the Warriors to rest up too much against the Spurs. They are in a competitive battle in the Western Conference for playoff seeding. A win for the Warriors could help them get home-court advantage in the first round.
The Spurs will look to build off a solid performance against the Clippers on Tuesday and make up for their last game against the Warriors.
San Antonio Spurs (32-47) vs. Golden State Warriors (47-32)
April 9th, 2025 | 9 PM CT
Watch: KENS5 | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Injury report released at 1 pm CT
Advertisement
Warriors Injuries: Injury report released at 1 pm CT
What to watch for:
Bench play
One of the few positive takeaways from the Spurs' last game against the Warriors was their bench scoring. Keldon Johnson chipped in 19 points in 21 minutes. Sandro Mamukelashvili and Malaki Branham had nice games as well. It'll take all hands on deck to compete with the Warriors. It'll be tough to outplay Golden State's rock-solid starting five, but gaining ground during the bench minutes could help the Spurs stay in the game.
Harrison Barnes and Chris Paul's consistency
Not to jinx anything, but Harrison Barnes and Chris Paul are on track to play all 82 games this season. That is not a sentence I expected to write before the season started. Both players deserve a lot of credit for being available and providing consistent value to the team. Barnes in particular has been huge for the Spurs with his shooting and plug-and-play versatility on offense. Both players have a history with the Warriors and should have a little extra juice, even on the tail end of the back-to-back.
Defending the arc
Golden State has been shooting teams out of the gym for the better part of a decade. San Antonio can't get into a shooting contest with the Warriors if they want to compete. They let Golden State knock down 21 threes against them in their last contest, including 7 from Brandin Podziemski. Getting good contests and running shooters off the line will help the Spurs gain an edge on Wednesday night.
Advertisement
More from poundingtherock.com:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Spurs' Dylan Harper explains why he chose to wear No. 2 in the NBA
Dylan Harper has worn No. 2 throughout his recent stops in high school and college, and the former Rutgers guard opted to keep that trend going with the San Antonio Spurs. Harper donned that jersey number while leading Don Bosco Prep to the NJSIAA State Final during the 2023-24 season. He kept that number at Rutgers last season en route to becoming a third-team All-American honorable mention by the AP. The 19-year-old is the first Spurs player to wear No. 2 since Kawhi Leonard (2012-2018). The number holds added importance for Harper following the draft on June 25. "I chose jersey No. 2 because that is the number I've been wearing for 4-5 years," Harper said in a video posted by the NBA on TikTok. "It represents me: My birthday is March 2, so it kind of all falls into one big bucket. I got drafted No. 2; that is probably the biggest significance of No. 2 now. I wore No. 2 in college and all of high school, so it has definitely been I think a trademark." Harper was a Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection, averaging 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, four assists and 1.4 steals in 29 appearances. He registered 20 20-point games, setting the Rutgers single-season scoring record by a freshman (564 points). The 6-foot-6 standout debuted with the Spurs in the NBA Summer League, averaging 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal on 35.7% shooting from the field. He dealt with a minor groin injury and was limited to two appearances. Harper is projected to be a franchise cornerstone for the Spurs and play a significant role for coach Mitch Johnson next season. He will do so with a familiar number on his jersey. Note: Throughout August, Rookie Wire is looking at every first-round pick and why each player selected their respective jersey number as they make the jump to the NBA. Previous: Cooper Flagg
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Son Heung-min Announces He's Leaving Spurs Amid Links To LAFC
After 10 years with Tottenham, captain Son Heung-min announced on Saturday that he plans to leave the English Premier League club. Son, who helped Spurs win the Europa League title in May, said it was "the most difficult" decision of his career and added the club was supporting him as he looks to find another team, with Los Angeles FC a possible landing spot. The 33-year-old South Korea international will start against Newcastle in a preseason friendly Sunday in Seoul in what could be his final match with the team. Son, who scored 173 goals in 454 competitive appearances for Tottenham, opened the news conference by announcing he has "decided to leave this club in this summer" and that Spurs are "helping me to my decisions." "I came to north London as a kid, 23 years old, very young age, a young boy came to London who even didn't speak English and leaving this club as a grown man is a very, very proud moment," said Son, who fought back tears during his announcement. "So I just want to say thank you to all of the Spurs fans," he added, "that gave me so much love and felt like it was my home. It was one of the toughest decisions I ever made.... But I think it's the right time to make this decision." Son was asked in Korean about his future playing plans, and he replied: "I don't think I have an answer yet." He has been heavily linked with a move to LAFC, and there is reported interest from Saudi Arabian clubs. Son also confirmed in Korean that he would play at the World Cup next summer in North America. In May, Son finally won his first title in Europe when Tottenham defeated Manchester United in the Europa League final — the club's first major trophy since 2008. After that match, he said: "I felt the pressure. I wanted it so badly. It finally happened, and I can sleep easy now." Son added that the team's recent success was a factor in his decision. "Winning the Europa League made me feel I had achieved everything I could here," he said. "I need a new environment for a fresh challenge." Son had been one of the biggest stars of the Premier League as he and Harry Kane became a formidable attacking partnership. Tottenham reached the Champions League final in 2019, losing to Liverpool. After Kane's departure to Bayern Munich in 2023, Son was made captain by former head coach Ange Postecoglou. Thomas Frank succeeded Postecoglou in June and the Danish coach paid tribute to Son on Saturday. "He is truly a Spurs legend in every aspect," Frank said. "One of the best players to ever play in the Premier League, in my opinion, as a winger. I think it is probably the perfect timing, going out on a high." Son is No. 5 on Tottenham's all-time goalscoring list, led by Kane (280 goals). Among other impressive stats, Son's 333 Premier League appearances is second-most in club history, trailing only Hugo Lloris (361). Later in the news conference, Son reiterated he has not decided on his next club. But he said next year's World Cup is his No. 1 priority for his home country. "I think I can share more about my future after tomorrow's game once things become more certain," he said. "My most important priority right now is the World Cup. It's likely to be my last World Cup and I want to give everything I have in that environment. I want to be able to play football happily, which I think will play the biggest role in my future decision-making. I am still trying to organize my thoughts around that." Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tottenham Hotspur Are On The Brink Of Signing This Bayern Munich Ace On Loan: Good Move For Spurs?
In a recent post on X, journalist Florian Plettenburg claimed that Tottenham Hotspur are on the brink of signing Bayern Munich ace Joao Palhinha on loan. It has been revealed that Spurs are in advanced talks to land the Portuguese midfielder on loan this summer. Palhinha's Recent Season In German Football Palhinha was sidelined for a lot of games last season because of injury, but still managed to put in a series of impressive displays for Bayern Munich at the centre of the park. The 30-year-old made 25 appearances for the Bavarian club in the previous campaign on all fronts. However, he failed to find the back of the net or create a goal for them. The Lisboa-born talent anchored the midfield well at times for the Munich giants as he made 20 tackles, 13 blocks and four interceptions in the Bundesliga. He even distributed possession relatively well from midfield after making 92.4% of his attempted passes in the top tier of German football (stats via His current contract at the Allianz Arena will run out in the summer of 2028. Hence, it makes sense for Spurs to sign the former Fulham midfielder on a loan deal this off-season. MUNICH, GERMANY – APRIL 08: Joao Palhinha of Bayern Muenchen looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between FC Bayern München and FC Internazionale Milano at Fussball Arena Muenchen on April 08, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by) Is Recruiting Palhinha A Good Move For Tottenham Hotspur? Palhinha loves a tackle and can scan the danger well to earn the ball back for his team inside his half. He usually puts his foot through the ball when needed and is a tidy passer from midfield. Standing at 1.90m, the Portugal international is a strong presence in the air. He has already got some experience in the Premier League and won't take much time to adjust to life at the North London club. Palhinha would bring more bite and steel to Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank's midfield. He has what it takes to fight for a regular starting spot at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season. At 30, Palhinha is still playing at a high level. Thus, signing him on a season-long loan deal seems like a good move for the North London giants in this summer transfer period. He might even help Spurs compete across all competitions in the upcoming Premier League campaign.
