POINT GUARD:  Tony Parker is one of the best point guards on the planet and he steps up his games in the playoffs.  I look for that to continue.  Parker played in 4 games (all starts) against the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs and he averaged 31.8 minutes, 22.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game.  He has now played in 156 games (148 starts) in the playoffs so far in his career and he is averaging 36.2 minutes, 19.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.0 steal per game.

Stephen Curry of the Warriors has been red hot in his first shot at the playoffs for the Warriors this year.  He is going to cause the Spurs’ defense a lot of trouble in this series.  Curry played in 6 games (all starts) in the first round of the playoffs and he averaged 39.8 minutes, 24.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game.  Curry is shooting 46.4% from the floor, 43.4% from three point range and 100% from the free throw line so far in the playoffs.

EDGE:  EVEN

SHOOTING GUARD:  Danny Green didn’t play his best basketball against the Lakers and the Spurs need him to be better in the second round.  Green played in 4 games (all starts) for the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs and he averaged 23.3 minutes, 7.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.  Green has now played in 22 games (16 starts) so far in the playoffs in his NBA career and he is averaging 17.7 minutes, 6.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.

Klay Thompson can flat out put the ball in the basket.  When he’s on a hot shooting streak, he is a player to behold.  Thompson played in 6 games (all starts) against the Nuggets and he averaged 41.0 minutes, 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

EDGE:  WARRIORS

SMALL FORWARD:  Kawhi Leonard is a player on the rise for the Spurs, as he can do it all on the basketball court.  Leonard played in 4 games (all starts) against the Lakers and he averaged 33.5 minutes, 12.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game.  Leonard has now played in 18 games (all starts) in his career in the playoffs and he is averaging 28.5 minutes, 9.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

Harrison Barnes had a solid rookie season for the Warriors.  But, he is stepping up big time so far in the playoffs for them.  Barnes played in 6 games (all starts) for the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs and he averaged 35.5 minutes, 14.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.

EDGE:  SLIGHT FOR THE SPURS

POWER FORWARD:  Tim Duncan is one of the best big men in all of basketball and he likely enjoyed the rest he got after the Spurs dumped the Lakers in four games.  Duncan played in 4 games (all starts) against the Lakers and he averaged 32.3 minutes, 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocked shot per game.  Duncan has now played in 194 games (all starts) so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 38.9 minutes, 22.2 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.5 blocked shots per game.

Carl Landry is a solid bench player, but he is going to have issues trying to defend Tim Duncan.  Landry played in 6 games (1 start) in the first round of the playoffs for the Warriors and he averaged 21.0 minutes, 12.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.  Landry has now played in 31 games (7 starts) in his career in the playoffs and he is averaging 22.1 minutes, 9.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.

EDGE:  HUGE FOR THE SPURS

CENTER:  The Spurs hope that Tiago Splitter will be ready to return to action in this series.  He has a bum ankle right now.  Splitter played in 3 games (all starts) in the first round of the playoffs for the Spurs and he averaged 23.7 minutes, 5.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.  Splitter has now played in 19 games (3 starts) so far in the playoffs in his career and he is averaging 15.2 minutes, 5.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.

Andrew Bogut is also playing with a bum ankle.  Bogut has been great both rebounding and defending the rim so far in the playoffs for the Warriors.  He played in 6 games (all starts) against the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs and he averaged 27.7 minutes, 8.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2.3 blocked shots per game on 63.2% shooting from the floor.  Bogut has now played in 11 games (all starts) so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 30.7 minutes, 8.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 blocked shots per game.

EDGE:  WARRIORS

BENCH:  The Spurs have a deep bench and they are going to use it a lot in this series.  Shooting guard Manu Ginobili plays like his hair is on fire.  He brings big time hustle to the court whenever he is on it.  Ginobili played in 4 games (0 starts) in the first round of the playoffs and he is averaging 19.5 minutes, 11.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game.  He has now played in 140 games (49 starts) in the playoffs so far in his career in the playoffs and he is averaging 30.7 minutes, 16.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game.  PF/C Matt Bonner gives the Spurs a big guy that can shoot the lights out.  He played in 4 games (0 starts) in the first round of the playoffs and he averaged 25.5 minutes, 7.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game.  Bonner has now played in 49 games (5 starts) in the playoffs so far in his career and he is averaging 14.2 minutes, 3.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  Shooting guard Gary Neal is also a good offensive player off the bench, as he can fill up the stat sheet really quickly when he’s hot.  Neal played in 4 games (0 starts) in the first round of the playoffs and he is averaging 19.3 minutes, 7.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.  Neal has now played in 24 games (0 starts) in the playoffs so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 16.9 minutes, 7.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.  DeJuan Blair could see increased action in this series due to the condition of Tiago Splitter’s ankle.  Blair played in 4 games (0 starts) for the Spurs in the first round and he averaged 11.3 minutes, 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.  Blair has now played in 28 games (0 starts) in the playoffs so far in his career and he is averaging 9.4 minutes, 4.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  Cory Joseph has been Tony Parker’s caddy so far in the playoffs.  He has played in 4 games (0 starts) against the Lakers in his first taste of the playoffs in his NBA career and he averaged 14.3 minutes, 4.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.  Rookie center Aron Baynes could also have a big role in this series depending on the condition of Tiago Splitter’s ankle.  Baynes played in 4 games (1 start) in the first round of the playoffs for the Spurs and he averaged 5.8 minutes, 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.  Patty Mills, Nando De Colo and Tracy McGrady give the Spurs a very, very deep end of the bench.

The Warriors are likely going to have a short, but productive bench, in this series.  SG/PG Jarrett Jack is going to play a lot of minutes in this series.  He played in 6 games (4 starts) for the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs and he averaged 38.0 minutes, 18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game.  Jack shot 52.6% from the floor and 90.6% from the free throw line in the first round of the playoffs, as he was on fire.  Jack has now played in 12 games (4 starts) in the playoffs so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 28.3 minutes, 12.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.  Rookie forward Draymond Green didn’t play too well during the regular season, but he really stepped up his game in the first round of the playoffs against the Nuggets.  Green played in 6 games (0 starts) in the first round of the playoffs and he averaged 16.8 minutes, 7.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 59.3% from the floor.  Rookie center Festus Ezeli will come in and bang around in the paint in this series a little bit.  He played in 6 games (0 starts) in the first round of the playoffs and he averaged 9.2 minutes, 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocked shot per game.  Small forward Richard Jefferson would probably like to get back at his old team, but he’s not likely going to get to play too much in this series.  Jefferson played in 4 games (0 starts) in the first round of the playoffs and he averaged 5.3 minutes, 1.5 points, 1.0 rebound and 0.3 assists per game.  Jefferson has now played in 98 games (71 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 32.7 minutes, 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.  Starting power forward David Lee tried to play last night and he only lasted about a minute.  I have doubts that he will have much of a role in this series due to his health.  Lee played in 2 games (1 start) against the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs and he averaged 15.0 minutes, 5.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.

EDGE:  SPURS

COACHING:  64-year old Gregg Popovich is the best head coach in the NBA right now.  He led the Spurs to a very easy 4-0 sweep of the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.  The Spurs are now 122-77 (61.3%) in the playoffs under Popovich and he has won the NBA Finals four times already with them.

48-year old Mark Jackson is a rising star among NBA head coaches.  The made some tactical moves against the Nuggets that resulted in them winning that series in six games.  Going with a three guard attack against the Nuggets was a genius move after David Lee got injured.

EDGE:  SPURS

PREDICTION:  SPURS IN SIX GAMES