Warriors showcase defensive strides in Game 2 win over Spurs

Last week, as his staff began trying to cram an in-depth scouting report of San Antonio into a few days, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr came to a critical realization: What the Spurs do would matter far less than whether Golden State finally started playing up to its defensive potential. Matador defense had plagued the Warriors in the final month of their regular season. With Stephen Curry expected to miss the entire first round with a sprained left MCL, Kerr stressed to his players the importance of ratcheting up their intensity and stringing together stops. It is that simple formula that has powered Golden State to a 2-0 series lead.