No five-man unit was as famous in the NBA in the past two seasons as Golden State's "Death Lineup." The combination of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green became synonymous with explosive offense and disruptive defense. It was a five-headed monster that the Warriors kept caged until they needed it, then unleashed it to wreak havoc. It was beautiful to watch.
The Cavaliers’ best lineup features LeBron James and 4 bench players
Cleveland has its own version of a “death lineup,” and it doesn’t include Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Well, the original Death Lineup is suddenly not so scary anymore. In 46 minutes on the court in this postseason it has been outscored by over 17 points per 100 possessions, a dreadful mark. After it got destroyed by the Thunder in Game 4, it wouldn't be surprising to see Steve Kerr shelving it for good going forward.
Fortunately, anyone looking for a small unit that gives opponents fits will be happy to know that another one has emerged in Cleveland. The Cavaliers' lineup of Matthew Dellavedova, Iman Shumpert, Richard Jefferson, LeBron James and Channing Frye has improbably become the best short-burst lineup in the playoffs after not sharing the court for a single minute in the regular season.
They boast the best net rating -- a ridiculous 48.4 points -- among units that have played at least 50 minutes together in the playoffs. For comparison, the Warriors’ starting lineup ranks second at almost 24 points per 100 possessions.
In Wednesday’s Game 5 blowout, it was a +7 in just five minutes on the court and helped stretch the lead to 25 points at the start of the second quarter. It was also the one which turned a seven-point deficit into a lead in the fourth quarter of Game 4’s loss. When that lineup is on the court, the Cavaliers typically go on runs, though it helps that it’s deployed mostly against opposing second units.
LeBron is obviously the main reason why it works. Without his versatility, everyone else in the lineup would crumble. James' ability to do a little bit of everything allows the role players to stay in their lane. Surrounding LeBron with shooting and athleticism has been a winning formula ever since the Heat started doing it, and the Cavaliers are just following that recipe.
Yet, James benefits from the setup, as well. Having Frye, Shumpert and Jefferson -- all shooting above 40 percent from outside in the playoffs -- around him stretches opposing defenses thin. That allows LeBron to drive on an open lane with only one defender on him. And no one can stop him alone.
As devastating a force as James is when he drives, it would be easy to adjust to it if the offense were static. Instead, the rest of the Cavaliers move and put the defense in impossible situations. Sink to deter penetration and a shooter will spring open. Go for switches or overplay those shooters, and someone will cut for an open layup or dunk. There’s no good way to guard it.
The result is a deadly attack the Raptors have no idea how to stop. One play in particular has vexed the defense in a similar way to how the Curry-Green pick and-roll-used to for the Warriors. It's a set that starts with James at the right elbow and Jefferson at the left, with Frye and Shumpert in the corners. Dellavedova enters the ball to James. From there, he can set a back screen for Jefferson, who will cut for an alley-oop if the defense doesn't switch.
If that play’s not open, James hands off the ball to Dellavedova and they run a pick-and-roll with no defender in the lane for an easy lob, as the big man has to stay with Frye.
If the defense guards against the lob by having James’ men cover the pass, Dellavedova can shoot a floater, which he’s improved this season.
If Frye’s man leaves him, to help on that pick-and-roll, then he gets an open three-pointer.
The defense has to pick its poison every time down the court.
While offense is where that group has excelled in all three rounds, the lineup has also fared well defensively. They have done an amazing job at limiting points in the paint despite not having a rim protector, and have caused a lot of turnovers. They have tough perimeter defenders who are able to switch, as well as LeBron James, who covers a lot of ground on rotations. They’ve have also benefited from going against a Raptors second unit offense which often lacks creativity.
Everything has clicked for Cleveland with this lineup. James has been fantastic, but rest of the players have also been perfect in their roles. Frye has been deadly from outside, Shumpert has spaced the floor and Dellavedova has made the right decisions. Strangest of all, the soon-to-be-36-year-old Jefferson has looked rejuvenated, making athletic play after athletic play to put together his best playoff run since 2007.
If the Cavaliers, who are in front 3-2 in the series, beat the Raptors and advance to the finals, this unit will be a big reason why. It doesn't seem likely they will get to face the original Death Lineup, as the Warriors trail 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals, but they will still be challenged. The five-man unit of Russell Westbrook, Dion Waiters, Andre Roberson, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka has been even better than Cleveland's, albeit in just 30 minutes on the court.
While big men have showed their worth in the playoffs, small lineups are still one of the best weapons in modern basketball, provided the right personnel is there. The team that boasts the best one will very likely win the championship. After finding this combination, the Cavaliers have greatly increased their chances.
* * *
No more “death lineup” for Golden State
Be sure to subscribe to SB Nation’s YouTube channel for highlight videos, features, analysis and more
See More:
