Golden State Warriors: Five lineups we want to see next year

4. Shaun Livingston-Klay Thompson-Andre Iguodala-Kevin Durant-Draymond Green

Again, I decided to go with a modified version of that incredible lineup. While Stephen Curry is the one that makes the Super Death Lineup/Hamptons 5 come together,he is the gunpowder that creates the explosion, they are still strong without him. They can be even stronger defensively.

Curry is not a bad defensive player. He may not be Chris Paul or Patrick Beverley, but he is not the defensive liability that the Internet and the loudest talking heads would have you believe he is. Still, his size sometimes limits him.

In the 2016 NBA Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers tried to attack Curry on that end of the floor. They ran pick-and-rolls with Kyrie Irving and LeBron James to get Curry to switch out onto the bigger forward. James, for a player of any size, is difficult to defend. For a guy of Curry’s size, it’s a nearly impossible task.

So this variation with Shaun Livingston at the point guard spot is better defensively than with Curry in it. Livingston’s size and length allow him to comfortably switch onto most players. The Warriors defense turns it up a notch.

While the team would still have top notch scoring from guys like Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, the defense would be off the charts. The speed and ferocity with which this five-man unit could defend would be a sight to see. This is the Warriors’ best defensive combination.

Placing Livingston’s wingspan with the other Warriors’ elite defenders would result in so many deflections, steals, blocks, stops, and fast break opportunities.