Manu Ginobili was optimistic after a Game 2 showing, despite suffering a second straight loss to the Golden State Warriors and now facing an 0-2 deficit in the first-round playoff series.
“We left San Francisco, we got a better feeling in Game 2 than in Game 1, knowing that we have to use that performance as a baseline,” said Ginobili, back on home grounds after taking another sizable loss in Game 2. “From there, we gotta improve. And hopefully they don't get hot — for us to get a chance, things like that have to happen.”
Manu on #Spurs approaching Game 3 vs #Warriors … team still feels good after better effort in GM2… a few more made shots could be the difference pic.twitter.com/U0lF18OUNb
— Jabari Young (@JabariJYoung) April 18, 2018
The intensity was certainly much more Spurs-like in Game 2, playing hard-nosed, air-tight defense on the defending champions and making it a contest for most of the first half.
The Warriors ultimately pulled away in the third quarter, limiting the Spurs to 22 points of offense and grabbing an 11-point advantage in the period — one they would ride for the rest of the game.
Ginobili's candor expressed the Spurs' problem in its very core — they need certain variables to go their way if they hope to win.
Klay Thompson has been as close to automatic as a player can get from the perimeter, while JaVale McGee has been collecting easy buckets as the starting center, averaging 12.5 points per game in the series.
Head coach Gregg Popovich responded to an early adjustment from Steve Kerr, inserting Andre Iguodala as the starting point guard by putting Rudy Gay as the starting power forward in Game 2. However, it made little difference, as his 12 points weren't enough to deter a balanced attack as the Warriors enjoyed a 50-40-90 night at Oracle Arena.
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