“If something isn’t broke, you don’t fix it” – Why Warriors should maintain bold lineup change
“I’m a firm believer if something isn’t broke, you don’t fix it”. They were the words of Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green after he came off the bench in Game 4 against the Sacramento Kings last Sunday.
It came on the back of Green’s suspension in Game 3 that forced head coach Steve Kerr into a lineup change, with Jordan Poole starting in place of the former Defensive Player of the Year. But after what many believed was a one-off, the move of Green to the bench could become more of a permanent shift.
Despite some inconsistent form from Jordan Poole, the Golden State Warriors are 3-0 in since his move into the starting lineup this postseason.
Green started the second-half of Game 4, and after guarding Kings star De’Aaron Fox effectively for periods, many believed his re-insertion to the starting lineup for Game 5 was simply a mere formality.
Instead, Kerr and Golden State doubled down on the initial decision, doing so despite Poole’s disastrous performance last time out in the hostile environment at Golden 1 Center. The fourth-year guard was hardly a notable performer in Game 5, but he was impactful enough to suggest it was the right move.
Whether it’s coming off the bench, or the extra motivation following his suspension, Green has come out a different offensive player over the last two games. The initial argument behind coming off the bench was because, against an explosive Kings’ offense, the Warriors couldn’t afford to have two non-scorers in he and Kevon Looney.
Yet Green has since shown an aggression scarcely seen over the last few years. After averaging 6.5 field-goal attempts during the regular season, the 33-year-old has had back-to-back games of 14 and 10 shot attempts. His 21 points in Game 5 was his first 20+ point game since Christmas Day 2019.
As Golden State now seek to close out the series in Game 6 on Friday, it now appears doubtful that Green will return to the starting lineup just yet. He alluded to it himself — why change a winning formula? Sure, he’ll continue to close halves and games as the ever-impactful player he is, but both he and Poole seem to be thriving under the new construction.
Next. Stephen Curry learns from near-fatal mistake to put Warriors in dominant position. dark
If the Warriors do move on, then things could change against a team like the Lakers whose size will prove problematic to the three-guard starting lineup. For now, the bold and unlikely strategy of Green as a sixth man is likely to remain.