Warriors' Game 2 Win Shows They Can Win West

Klay Thompson put on a shooting clinic as he scored 34 points in the Warriors' Game 2 win over the Spurs. (Ronald Martinez)

In Game 2 of their second-round playoff series, the Golden State Warriors once again opened up a big lead. The San Antonio Spurs again rallied for second-half comeback. It would not be enough this time. Instead, the Warriors held on for a 100-91 victory on Wednesday night.

Klay Thompson's 34-point performance will stand out in the box score, but his backcourt counterpart was the one who sealed the deal tonight. Of course, Stephen Curry had 44 points in Game 1, but he was a non-factor as the Spurs went on their run and through the two overtime periods. Curry finished with only 22 points in Game 2, but he had the Warriors' final five points to hold off the Spurs.

Golden State's series-evening victory snapped the Warriors' 30-game losing streak in San Antonio, which dated back to February 14, 1997. Additionally, they won a road playoff game after the first round for the first time since 1991. The win isn't only big as the series heads to Oracle Arena. It is significant because I believe it shows that the Warriors are capable of winning a wide-open Western Conference and earning a spot in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1976.

Here are five reasons why I believe the Warriors are capable of winning the Western Conference:

1. Mark Jackson is an innovative coach and an excellent motivator. Jackson has been preaching the message that his team has already overachieved expectations. He believes the pressure belongs on his opponents. Jackson is not afraid of defending his players, even if it means being fined by the league. The former point guard and commentator is well known as a great motivator. He will use the Game 1 collapse to push his young team.

2. Stephen Curry has emerged as a bona fide superstar. Curry loves the postseason spotlight. We all remember his March Madness heroics as the star of the Davidson Wildcats. He has shown that the NBA playoffs are his place to shine as well. While scoring is a huge part of his game, Curry has been contributing across the board. Entering tonight's Game 2, he was averaging 27.1 points, 9.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. Curry's closing out Game 2 proved he is capable of leading his team to victory in the clutch as well.

3. Rather than fold when All-Star David Lee was lost for the remainder of the playoffs, the Warriors have had surprising contributions from across the board. As good as Curry has been in the playoffs, the Warriors have proved they are more than a one-man show. I have already made mention of how good Klay Thompson can be shooting the ball. He finished eight-for-nine tonight from beyond the arc and is always a danger to get it going from there. Rookie Harrison Barnes is averaging 15.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game as a starter. Former top pick Andrew Bogut has seemingly discovered the Fountain of Youth. The Aussie is averaging 8.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. Finally, Jarrett Jack has brought energy off the bench. In the conference semifinals against the Nuggets, he average 18.8 points, 7.0 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. As you can see, the Warriors are getting contributions from throughout their lineup.

4. The Warriors' high-tempo offense is surprisingly well-balanced and efficient. Everyone knows that the Warriors love to push the tempo and get the ball up the court in a hurry. They also think all they do is shoot the ball from three. That part simply is not true. The Warriors are very good from beyond the arc. During the regular season, they connected on a league-leading 40.3% of their three-pointers. Despite shooting at such a high percentage from deep, they’re surprisingly conservative and selective with it. In fact, only 23.9% of their shots were threes, which put them roughly middle of the pack across the league.

5. The Warriors may be known for their offense, but they have been getting it done of the defensive end as well. The exploits of the Warriors' offense are well-documented. Their discipline on the other side of the ball goes widely unnoticed. During tonight's Game 2 win, the Warriors held the Spurs to 39.3 percent shooting from the field and 23.8 percent from beyond the arc. This defensive discipline that the Warriors have been showing actually plays a significant role in their offense. Getting consistent defensive stops and rebounding allows the Warriors' offense to push the tempo.

I hope that you realize that this young Warriors team should not be overlooked. They are far more than a high-scoring offense led by Stephen Curry. Instead, they are a team that is fully capable of making a run at the NBA title. If you don't believe me, just ask the San Antonio Spurs think after two tough games at home.