If the Spurs are going to take down the Warriors, they’ll have to do it without their anchor.
Spurs forward Tim Duncan will not play against the Warriors on Monday because of soreness in his right knee, the team announced Sunday.
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Duncan returned to the Spurs lineup against the Lakers on Friday after sitting out Thursday against the Suns. Despite the highly anticipated matchup against the defending champs, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is continuing his system of holding Duncan out of games to preserve him for the postseason.
Warriors forward Draymond Green jokingly suggested that he's surprised more Spurs aren't sitting out of Monday night's matchup.
"That's kind of the model that they've followed over the past four or five years," Green said, via CSN Bay Area. "It's worked, so I don’t think anyone questions it.”
The Spurs have the second-best record in the league at 38-6, just behind the Warriors' 40-4 mark. Duncan has averaged 8.9 points and 7.5 rebounds in 37 games this season.