Could the Warriors’ ‘Death Lineup’ beat the All-NBA first team?

The Warriors turned Game 1 of the 2016 NBA Finals into a blowout. It’s left fans wondering if it’s even possible to build a team under the salary cap that would beat Golden State.

Let’s go one step further: would the First Team All-NBA be able to beat the Warriors in a seven-game series?

Russell Westbrook and James Harden — the two leading MVP candidates — claimed the back court while LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and Anthony Davis grabbed the remaining three spots when the All-NBA team was announced last month.

That meant no Warriors made the first team.

Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green all claimed second- and third-team honors with Klay Thompson on the outside looking in. This wonky scenario leaves us with yet another question:

Sure, no Warriors players had better seasons than any player voted into the first team. Westbrook and Harden had two historical years, and James and Leonard were easily the best and second-best players in the NBA this season. Davis, amid another poor season in New Orleans, was still a dominant presence on both ends of the floor.

But Golden State had the NBA’s best record for a reason. They run their offense to a T every time and have one of, if not the best defensive scheme in the NBA. The All-NBA team wouldn’t get a moment to practice — not that five All-Stars need much time — but they’d be thrown to the wolves against a Warriors’ lineup setting off-ball screens to an oblivion.

Odds are, the first team has way too much talent for Golden State to keep up with. Between LeBron and Kawhi, the Warriors would have a handful already. Add in Davis as a rim protector, post presence, and spotty three-point shooter, along with both Westbrook and Harden’s penetrating prowess, and you’ve got a Warriors team on the ropes in a pickup game.

We’ll run this through an NBA 2K17 simulation and let you know how it goes.