The Spurs never had a chance against the Warriors

They tried without Tony Parker. They tried without Kawhi Leonard. They were forced to try without LaMarcus Aldridge. And in the end, they tried to no avail.

The San Antonio Spurs were swept out of the Western Conference Finals on Monday in a 129-115 loss to the Golden State Warriors. It marked the first time the Spurs were swept out of a playoff series since 2001 during the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O’Neal era.

As well as the Spurs played, the Warriors’ star power was too much. It was Kevin Durant one minute, Stephen Curry the next, and Draymond Green in-between.

No one can predict how the series would have turned had Leonard not hurt his ankle in Game 1. After all, the Spurs were up 23 when Leonard went down in the third quarter before going on to lose by two. San Antonio’s championship aspirations have been an afterthought ever since.

The Spurs got great play out of Jonathon Simmons, whose stock rose tremendously absorbing the minutes in Leonard’s absence. They got solid minutes out of Dejounte Murray, the rookie point guard who filled in for Parker alongside Patty Mills. Just when David Lee got it going in Game 3, he went down for the playoffs with a knee injury.

San Antonio just couldn’t catch a break, one they desperately needed against a stacked Warriors team.

For the Spurs, the loss could be a transition to the next generation. Manu Ginobili may have played his last game in San Antonio after an illustrious 15-year career may have come to a close in Game 4. The same could be assumed of Parker, whose ruptured quadriceps tendon ended his season, and possibly his career, in the second round.

They would be the last two dominos to fall following Tim Duncan’s retirement last summer.

San Antonio belongs to Leonard now. If that wasn’t already apparent, Game 1 was the reinforcer. Spurs GM R.C. Buford has been magnificent in finding the pieces to fit around his stars. In a Western Conference that’s only getting better, his job becomes more difficult.

It won’t be easy. With Durant in tow, the Warriors will hold the West’s crown for the foreseeable future. James Harden’s Rockets aren’t far behind, and the Jazz, Clippers, and Thunder are each a piece or two away from challenging.

Buford and Gregg Popovich have solved these equations in the past. Murray may be the point guard of the future, though there could be some options in pending free agency. Aldridge may not be the long-term answer as Leonard’s running mate. The complementary pieces may change as well.

Two things won’t change: The system and the effort. The Spurs will always try. They’ll try short-handed. They’ll try down 25. And they’ll try against the odds.

That’s what San Antonio did this season. Championship or not, that should be good enough.