Explain: how the new Warriors smallball death lineup ran away from the Jokic Nuggets in Game 1
Explain: how the new Warriors smallball death lineup ran away from the Jokic Nuggets in Game 1
2022 First Round Playoffs, Game 1
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The Warriors had a reunion of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, and then made their lineup extra spicy by adding Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, to form their new Smallball Death Lineup at the end of the second quarter in 2022.04.16.DEN-GSW.
The lineup in theory is hard to guard with four shooters and a playmaker, but in theory gives some back on the defensive end. Through a combination of Draymond Green’s great D and a sprinkle of a gimmick zone, the lineup worked great, turning a 3 point deficit into an 11 point lead in just a couple of minutes, and the Warriors cruised the rest of the way. With Nikola Jokic, Will Barton, Jeff Green, Monte Morris and Aaron Gordon.
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The Mercury News had an article talking about this (Steph/Poole/Klay/Wiggs/Dray) lineup and wondered what to call it. Saw this in the comments:
> It debuted in the middle of April right at the deadline, it must be the "Taxes" lineup. No it's not a cooler name than "Death". But they are equally hard to stop.
What do y'all think? There's a certain cleverness to it but I'm not convinced it's got quite the right ring to it and it's not self-explanatory enough to catch on IMO. I think the sense that the lineup is inevitable is a good lead though. Actually, maybe calling it "the inevitable lineup" isn't a bad start either. You know it's coming, you know how it works, but you still can't stop it... Hm. I might try that one out.
That Nets-Celtics series is going to be a straight up knock-down drag out fight. Both teams are going to beat the holy hell out of each other, and it will likely go 6-7 games. There is legit bad blood there between the two teams, and neither will take crap from the other. Wouldn’t shock me to see a fight break out somewhere down the line there.
The story is much the same with the Raptors-Sixers series, only maybe without the bad blood. But it will also be a dogfight. Embiid is going to demolish the Raptors inside and on the glass, since they have no big man answer for him. Thing is, the Raptors have an answer for literally any and every other option the Sixers have (yes, even James Har_en, who will have no D as usual). That one goes at least 6, guaranteed.
Another brewing dogfight is that Wolves-Grizzlies series. Both are young and athletically gifted, plus they are hard-nosed. The Wolves already won a game at Memphis, so that series is likely also going at least 6. Of course, it gets REALLY interesting if the Wolves go home up 2-0. Because you have to believe the Grizz won’t get taken out so quickly and so early, right?
We may not seem to have as hard a series as those other ones, but we would do well not to lower our guard, either. The Nuggets do have an elite player in Jokic, and he always gives them a chance to win games. Still, if we stay switched on and show our level (that of a champion), I foresee us winning this clearly.
Can’t see the Heat, Suns, or Bucks having too much trouble in their series. But who knows?