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The Western Conference finals are here, and the same question is on every NBA fan's mind: Can the Spurs actually beat the Warriors?

Golden State has waltzed through the first two rounds of the NBA playoffs without even breaking a sweat, while the Spurs finished off an impressive series against the Rockets with a 39-point thumping in the clinching Game 6.

Our experts have mulled it over and have come up with their predictions for the upcoming Warriors-Spurs series, with the winner headed to the NBA Finals.

Bill Reiter: Warriors in 5

It's always dangerous business underestimating the Spurs, as the Rockets just found out in their Game 6 humiliation sans Kawhi Leonard, but the Warriors are just too much. Even if Leonard is healthy, Golden State has matchup advantages all over the court. Kevin Durant can score on anyone, in any way. LaMarcus Aldridge looked like a legit star in the closeout game against Houston, but Draymond Green is a different animal. Jonathon Simmons and Patty Mills are becoming a nice story on the perimeter, but we're talking about Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry here. The only scenario in which the Spurs can even hope to be competitive is if they grind down the pace and control the Splash Brothers, but Golden State proved it can win that kind of game, too, in Game 3 on the road against Utah -- a very stout defensive team in its own right. San Antonio deserves a lot of love for the way it handled Houston, but this is a different series. One I can't see the Spurs winning under any circumstances.

Ethan Skolnick: Warriors in 5

All you wanted, before this matchup materializing, was for both teams to enter as the best possible versions of themselves. That will be true of the rested, healthy Warriors, but not the Spurs -- and that's even if Kawhi Leonard has mended quickly. While Tony Parker would have needed protection on defense -- and he shot just 30.8 percent in two games against the Warriors this season -- he would have helped in this series if he attacked the way he had to start the postseason. Jonathon Simmons' emergence gives the Spurs another long defender to harass the Warriors' scorers. But in the end, Golden State is just too gifted -- with its smaller lineups making it difficult for Gregg Popovich to play two bigs together for too long. Kevin Durant scored 27 in his one game against the Spurs this season; assume that his average exceeds that.

Matt Moore: Warriors in 5

This is a sticky trap of doom. You take the Warriors in anything less than six and it feels like you're disrespecting the Spurs. You take Warriors in seven or pick the Spurs and you're being intellectually dishonest (if you've been paying even a little bit of attention). If nothing else, think of it this way: The Spurs are the same team with the same issues and problems that looked like they were going to be in big trouble at times against Houston. They're just an exceptionally disciplined and well-coached team, and that mental toughness was enough to break the Rockets in twain.

But these Warriors are not those Rockets, and whereas the Spurs were willing to dare Houston's shooters, you cannot do that with Golden State. They have more weapons, all over, all the time, and that Kevin Durant fella has given San Antonio troubles, as he does everyone. There are ways the Spurs can muck this up, but even if they do, can they score as much as they have to? Can they really get the Warriors that far away from what they do well? I can't say yes, and the only reason I'm giving them a game is the immense amount of respect I have for the Spurs. I hope they prove me wrong -- we desperately need a long, tough series at some point in these playoffs.

James Herbert: Warriors in 6

This is me being respectful to Gregg Popovich's Spurs, who just neutralized one of the fastest, highest-powered offenses in the league. Do not expect the same to happen to the Warriors, but hey, maybe there will be moments where they look uncomfortable. While nobody would be surprised by another sweep, San Antonio could at least theoretically challenge Golden State by winning the battle in the paint, dominating the boards and making clever adjustments the way it did against Houston.

Jack Maloney: Warriors in 5

The Spurs are awesome. Kawhi Leonard, though potentially hobbled, is awesome. They just took four of five from a tremendous Rockets team. But the Rockets are not the Warriors. The Warriors are simply on a different level than every other team in the West. Kevin Durant is healthy. Draymond Green is an absolute menace on the defensive end and shooting over 50 percent from downtown in the postseason. Stephen Curry put up over 27 points per game in the first two series. Golden State just has too many weapons and is too talented on both ends of the floor. I mean, the Warriors' starting lineup has a net rating of 34.9 in the playoffs! 34.9! You never know what magic Gregg Popovich is capable of working, but I can't see this series going very long.

Chris Barnewall: Warriors in 6

The Spurs are the one team that has shown even the slightest chance of making the Warriors wake up for a series that isn't the NBA Finals. They're the one team Golden State has always shown respect toward and there's good reason for that. They've had an incredible defense all season, an absurdly efficient offense that differs from Golden State's (avoiding the issue of trying to out-Warriors the Warriors) and Gregg Popovich is the best coach in basketball. They knocked off Houston without Tony Parker, or Kawhi Leonard in the elimination game. Yet it still won't be enough. The Warriors are dominant. They're absolute. They are going to give San Antonio all they have and it's going to be more than enough to knock off one of the greatest franchises basketball has ever seen. That's what having Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green does. It overcomes everything.