"The Phoenix Suns are on a different level, and they are clearly the team to beat" - Stephen A. Smith claims only Golden State Warriors can get better of Chris Paul and co.
ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith believes the only team in the NBA that can defeat the 60-win Phoenix Suns in a seven-game series is the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors are looking extremely dangerous, with their veteran lineup fully healthy after a long time. They railroaded the Denver Nuggets in Games 1 and 2, and many believe they are now one of the championship favorites.
On "First Take," Stephen A. Smith lauded the Golden State Warriors after their blowout win in Game 2, saying:
"The Phoenix Suns are on a different level, and they are clearly the team to beat, but if there is one team in the National Basketball Association who can take them out, it would be the Golden State Warriors."
The Warriors deployed their death lineup in the first two games and blew the Nuggets off the floor. The lineup consists of three guards - Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole, while Andrew Wiggins shifts to the power forward position and Draymond Green plays the small-ball center.
The team's collective shooting and playmaking on the floor is off the charts. They were +28 in less than 10 minutes together, and the Nuggets had no answer for that. The Warriors were so great on the floor that fans and analysts started running an online poll to name them.
@stephenasmith has a new nickname for the Warriors: Lethal Weapon 3 🤔 https://t.co/0oLarqvWXL
Golden State Warriors' new death lineup could wreak havoc on opposing defenses
Warriors coach Steve Kerr deployed his best lineup so far, blowing the minds of everyone watching the game. When you have the three-guard lineup of Curry, Poole and Thompson on the floor, it becomes increasingly difficult to double-team the perimeter, and one has to pick their poison.
“It’s a scary sight when we really get going.”
ESPN story on the Warriors’ death lineup 3.0 that was debut last night in Game 1 against the Nuggets: espn.com/nba/story/_/id…
Additionally, Wiggins plays the power forward position but can also shoot lights out from the three-point line.
Green plays the playmaker and screener role, and everyone else can either slash or shoot off the catch. Everyone is capable of moving without the ball, and they can easily frustrate any defense. Moreover, all three guards shoot over 90% from the free-throw line, and it just becomes almost unfair when all three are firing on all cylinders.
In the 11 minutes they played together, they had an offensive rating of 204.3 and a defensive rating of 75.0. They outscored the Nuggets by 28 points in those 11 minutes as the Warriors have assembled their best offensive lineup.
Steph Curry
34 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST
Jordan Poole
29 PTS - 5 REB - 8 AST
Klay Thompson
21 PTS - 2 REB - 1 AST
Splash trio 🔥 https://t.co/yK04oPIw6s
The five Warriors players together changed the landscape of both games so far.