NBA

Warriors Gear Up for Game 1 of Western Conference Finals, Kerr Returns to Oracle

The high-octane Warriors have a 76 percent to capture Game 1 and an 81 percent chance to take series, according to ESPN

It's being called a clash of titans.

The Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs — the top two teams in the Western Conference — are gearing up for an epic showdown in the Western Conference Finals with a chance to punch a ticket to the NBA Finals. Game 1 from Oakland is scheduled to tip at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Besides missing second-year forward Kevon Looney, the Warriors enter the Western Conference Finals with a healthy squad. Head coach Steve Kerr, who has been sidelined for several games due to chronic pain stemming from previous back surgeries, was spotted entering Oracle Arena before the game. He won't coach, but he is able to help acting head coach Mike Brown, the rest of the coaching staff and the players, according NBC Sports Bay Area.

The Spurs, on the other hand, are a bit beat up. Star forward Kawhi Leonard is a go for Game 1 despite tweaking his ankle last Tuesday. Veteran point guard Tony Parker is out for the postseason after he underwent surgery on his left quadriceps injury.

Over the course of the past several seasons, the Warriors and Spurs have been virtual mirrors of each other when it comes to accolades. Golden State boasts a 353-129 record — including the postseason — since the 2012-2013 campaign. San Antonio is 351-132 during that time. Both squads also have three 60-win seasons, an NBA championship and two appearances in the NBA Finals during that five-year run.

San Antonio actually won two out of three meetings with Golden State this season, but the Warriors rested their starters in one of those matchups. The Spurs smacked the Warriors 129-100 in the season opener and followed that up with a 107-85 rout in March when Steve Kerr decided to sit his top workhorses. San Antonio was on its way to a season sweep after jumping out to a 15-0 lead in the final meeting of the season, but Golden State punched back, erasing an eventually 22-point deficit to win 110-98.

Despite taking the regular season series, the Spurs are clear underdogs heading into Game 1. The high-octane Warriors, who also pack one of the best defenses in the game, have a 76 percent to capture Game 1 and an 81 percent chance to take series, according to ESPN.

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