The Golden State Warriors cruised to their first victory of the season Monday night against the New Orleans Pelicans. And in that game, we may have seen the birth of a new “Death Lineup.”
The Golden State Warriors have won their first game and they did so in dominant fashion. Call off the riots and silence the early-season hot takes because the Warriors are no longer winless.
The team notched their first win of the season in a convincing 134-123 victory over the Zion Williamson-less New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night.
The game was significant not only in that is was the Warriors’ first victory, but we also got a glimpse of a new beginning in the form of a revitalized “Death Lineup.”
With Willie Cauley-Stein and Kevon Looney both out nursing injuries, head coach Steve Kerr opted to run with a familiar starting lineup — albeit with a few new faces.
The Warriors starting five for the game consisted of Stephen Curry, D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Poole, Glenn Robinson III, and Draymond Green. And while Poole and Robinson are hardly Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala, the unit was plenty effective on Monday night.
Poole was electric from the get-go nailing a few three-pointers early on and finishing with a career-high 13 points in his first NBA start. Meanwhile, Robinson dazzled falling just shy of a double-double scoring 13 points and notching nine rebounds.
But perhaps nobody benefited from this change more than the man who the entire “Death Lineup” concept revolves around — Draymond Green. Green put together his best performance of the young season securing a triple-double with 16 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists.
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The former Defensive Player of the Year has always been an incredible passer, but his court vision and mental awareness on Monday were on another level and his performance showed exactly what makes him the special player that he is.
Whether he was tossing lobs to Marquese Chriss and Glenn Robinson III or skying over opponents to grab another rebound, Green was everywhere on Monday and his performance — on top of Curry’s 26 points — led the Warriors to victory.
With the departures of Durant and Iguodala in the offseason, most assumed that the “Death Lineup” concept was officially, well, dead. But Kerr has proven that the lineup still has life and that’s all because of one man.
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Green is the glue that keeps the unit together. His ability to guard players five inches taller and shorter than him on defense gives the Warriors flexibility to rely on him at the five. And when he’s at his best on offense, there are few more effective facilitating big men in the NBA.
As for the rest of the lineup, Curry is still Curry and Russell and Poole have enough height to defend taller wing players — the only issue might come with the actual defending part.
The same goes for Robinson who’s as springy and exciting as they come, but still needs plenty of work defensively.
But with those five, the “Death Lineup” concept does appear to be possible for the time being. Yes they were playing a beaten-down Pelicans team and yes they received plenty of help from their bench, but the Warriors may have found something with this starting five.
Some of the members could even remain interchangeable.
But as long as Draymond Green is still with the Warriors, the “Death Lineup” concept will remain alive and well.