SAN ANTONIO – On a set of televisions hanging inside the San Antonio Spurs' practically empty pregame locker room Saturday was an image that served as a harbinger for later that evening at AT&T Center. A blurred Kobe Bryant, frozen by the pause button, was walking off the court after the Los Angeles Lakers' stunning dismantling of the Golden State Warriors earlier this month, when the retiring legend encouraged his teammates to "beat the [expletive] out of" the defending champions.
The Spurs were perhaps searching for inspiration or clues from the previous team to defeat the Warriors.