The Golden State Warriors fell short of their goal by failing to sweep a pesky Nuggets team and secure some extra days off ahead of the West semifinals. Nevertheless, Steph Curry and Co. still appear to be well on their way toward advancement.
Moreover, the team is feeling emboldened in its title pursuit due to the advent of its latest “death lineup.”
Despite the Dubs never having gone to the combination before, the five-man crew of Curry, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green has decimated Denver. Through four games, that unit has outscored the Nuggets by 26 points in just 32 minutes on the floor.
Meanwhile, the group’s offensive rating of 147.8 is the best mark league-wide for any five-man combination this postseason (minimum 15 minutes played).
Although he had an inkling previously that the lineup would be an impressive one, Warriors GM Bob Myers has been astounded by its early efficacy.
Myers Is Over the Moon
During his Tuesday appearance on 95.7 The Game’s The Morning Roast, Golden State’s chief decision-maker sounded off on the death lineup, leaving little mystery about his delight in the early returns.
“I think what has surprised me is that we have gotten to see some of the lineups we envisioned work really well,” Myers said. “We just didn’t have a sense of the lineups you have seen close games, with Draymond, Wiggins, Klay, Steph, and Poole.”
More than anything, he has been impressed by the group’s ability to put it all together in the playoffs without having gone through any test runs during the regular season.
“You’ve got to understand that they have never played together before,” Myers reminded the hosts. “Zero minutes before the playoffs. I’m surprised it looks as good as it does without any time, any buildup.”
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There’s Still Room to Grow, Too
Perhaps the scariest thing about the Warriors’ new lineup — for opponents, anyway — is that it still has room to grow. The players are still discovering how they work together and where their best spots to succeed actually are.
“Walking on the court with guys you have never played with is a disadvantage. It’s not great. We needed [reps] and we didn’t get them. I feel like that’s the silver lining [of losing Game 4]. I still feel like we need a lot of time,” Myers said.
“I’m surprised, you know, that we saw in Game 1 that that lineup got out there and did as well as it did… You can’t just throw talent out there and expect it to jell. That has been the biggest surprise is to see some of these combinations come together as fast as they have. But we still have work to do. It’s not perfect.”
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Top Decision-Maker Stunned by Warriors’ ‘Death Lineup’