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Defining matchup: David West, Warriors took advantage of Spurs’ Pau Gasol

SAN ANTONIO — There were always two reasons, primarily, that the Spurs don’t matchup well with the Warriors. Those reasons are called LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol.

There was a notion that size and physicality would hurt the Warriors. But the truth is speed and athleticism hurts the Warriors. Size doesn’t quite give the Warriors fits. And Gasol especially doesn’t.

With Zaza Pachulia out and JaVale McGee grouped with the starters, that left David West as the only available big man to play with the second unit. And in the second half, with McGee, in essence, having done all he could do, it was West or go small.