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Pick Your Poison – The Warriors 3-guard lineup is their key to playoff success

By Keith Watkins

Apr 18, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) claps from the bench during the fourth quarter of game two of the first round for the 2022 NBA playoffs at Chase Center against the Denver Nuggets. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 18, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) claps from the bench during the fourth quarter of game two of the first round for the 2022 NBA playoffs at Chase Center against the Denver Nuggets. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

Fast Five, PTSD, Death Lineup 2.0 – or whatever you want to call them — this Golden State Warriors small ball line-up has been a sight to behold through the opening two games of the post-season.

A match-up nightmare for the opposition, the line-up is centered around the craftiness and shooting ability of the three Warriors’ guards – Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole.

The Golden State Warriors’ playoff success so far, having taken a 2-0 series lead on Denver, is rotted in the dominance of their 3-guard lineup.

In these mini-bursts, their electrifying tempo and constant movement has wreaked havoc.

The pace in which they push the basketball has almost literally run Denver out the gym. Coupled with a tidal wave of scoring that then ensues – you have an offensive recipe that leads to utter destruction.

Fast Five

The line-up is now Steve Kerr’s, not so secret weapon. He doesn’t start with it, nor does he even go to it that often. Due to injury, we didn’t even see it in the regular season. Though best believe after those two games – the rest of the league has taken notice.

In just 11 minutes on the floor this series, the five-man line-up of Curry, Thompson, Poole, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins, has outscored the Nuggets 47-18. They also have an offensive rating of 204.3 and a defensive rating of 75.0.

The Warriors crushed Denver for the second time in three nights on Monday. Trouncing them 126-106 to take a 2-0 series lead.

Yet, in both games the Dubs trailed with just over five minutes remaining in the half. So of course, both times – they rolled out the Fast Five to outscore Denver by 14 in five minutes and flip the game on its head.

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