The Spurs clinched a spot in the Western Conference Finals Thursday night, as they crushed the Rockets 114-75 in Houston to win their second round playoff series 4-2.
The result was a shocker not only because of the margin of victory, but also because the Spurs did it without their best player Kawhi Leonard who sat out the game with an injury.
When the news that Leonard would miss the game was announced a little over two hours before tipoff, almost everyone assumed that a Game 7 in San Antonio Sunday was inevitable. Here are some tweets…
My guess: Kawhi sits. Spurs are all about preventative care, hence the OT benching in Game 5. Game 7 ain't going away.
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) May 11, 2017
Without knowing full extent of Kawhi's injury, a ballsy call from Pop. Game 7 will be a coin flip.
— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) May 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/djhomicide/status/862800005907726337
https://twitter.com/12upsport/status/862800481923588097
Yikes. Bad news for @spurs fans 🤦🏻♂️ no Kawhi for game 6 pic.twitter.com/UAi3ox7MDQ
— TJ Manotoc (@tjmanotoc) May 11, 2017
Rockets fans came prepared. pic.twitter.com/1k2J8hxi9H
— Out of Bounds (@SI_outofbounds) May 12, 2017
So… Game 7 is Sunday.#NBA pic.twitter.com/VCKK1ktQvh
— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) May 11, 2017
This tells me Pop is punting on a game the Rockets are supposed to win at home to maximize Kawhi's health for Game 7 https://t.co/e6MzZlbc4G
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) May 11, 2017
So…if you're a gambler, I think it'd be a safe bet to take the #Rockets tonight. #NBA
— Ron Clements (@Ron_Clements) May 11, 2017
Just took the rockets to win the series +230. Basically just betting on game 7 (in theory)
— John Middlekauff (@JohnMiddlekauff) May 11, 2017
When you've put down stacks on Houston and find out Kawhi isn't playing pic.twitter.com/D6gsyyIQNu
— PNC (@PNC06) May 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/sinow/status/862809411164811264
How much of an advantage do you think the #Rockets have with Kawhi Leonard out for the #Spurs tonight in Game 6? https://t.co/Cuu8F7DWTo
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) May 11, 2017
Rockets -8.5 tonight. Massacre coming. Get rich. #dbap #shootersshoot
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) May 11, 2017
When Spurs fans find out Kawhi Leonard out for Game 6 pic.twitter.com/Vk1Sp2Sx5Y
— Legends (@LegendsofCH) May 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/scottipippen/status/862817837718622209
Start Dekker in Game 7
— Alex Del Barrio (@alexdelbarrio) May 12, 2017