Gregg Popovich said Monday at the Spurs shootaround the team will be without Manu Ginobili, Stephen Jackson and Kawhi Leonard as they take on the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
I think my "severe sanctions" joke goes here.
Ginobili is out with a thigh bruise, Jackson is still recovering from a broken finger and Leonard has knee tendinitis.
Danny Green is slated to start at small forward with Gary Neal at shooting guard. What it hurts most is the Spurs bench, which is normally one of the best, but now a bit thinned out.
It also hurts because the Spurs don't really have anyone to guard Kevin Durant now. Both Leonard and Jackson have done decent jobs on Durant in the past, but without either, the Spurs are left with a pretty rough mismatch. Green, maybe James Anderson and who knows who else will have to step up.
The Spurs are 19-6, but two games back in the loss column to the Thunder. In their one previous meeting, which was the first game of the season for both teams, the Spurs, in San Antonio, beat Oklahoma City 86-84 on a last second Tony Parker jumper.
