Preview: Warriors vs Spurs

The defending champion San Antonio Spurs (9-2) come to town tonight to take on the Golden State Warriors (7-5). The game tips off at 10:30EST.

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Like Aaron Miles said on ESPN's Cold Pizza this morning, this game will be a good test of how far along the Warriors are. The Spurs will be a good barometer of the Warriors play thus far this season.

Ike Diogu will make his debut tonight. His inside presence should be a big boost to the frontline of the Warriors to match up with Duncan. The interior has been getting beat up by the likes of Mehmet Okur and Nenad Krstic, not exactly the quality of Tim Duncan.

Hopefully Monty has a game plan to limit the effectiveness of the Spurs squad. If he doesn't here's my suggestion: Let Duncan go off for 40 as long as the other Spurs don't get involved. If you take out Parker and Ginobili while letting Duncan go for his, I thinkt he Warriors will have a chance. But if you double down on Duncan, with him being such a good passer he'll find the open man to move the ball around leaving the Warriors scrambling on defense. So play Duncan straight man to man and deny deny deny the ball to the others on the floor. Make that offense stagnant by not letting Parker or Manu get penetration or cause trouble.

The Warriors need to take good shots tonight and make good decisions on offense. Otherwise this may end up in a blowout.