Death Lineup

Unlike typical small-ball units, this group of Warriors was versatile enough to defend larger opponents, while also aiming to create mismatches on offense with their shooting and playmaking skills.

[1][2][3] The lineup featured the Splash Brothers, a three-point shooting backcourt consisting of two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry, and perennial two-way All-Star Klay Thompson.

It also featured versatile defender and 2015 NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala on the wing alongside scorer Kevin Durant, and 2016–17 Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green at center.

[5][6] The lineup originally included Harrison Barnes, who was replaced in 2016–17 by former league MVP and four-time scoring champion Durant; the new group began to be known as the "Hamptons Five".

[7][8] The Death Lineup was considered to be indicative of a larger overall trend in the NBA towards "positionless" basketball, where traditional position assignments and roles have less importance.

[13] The change was first suggested by Kerr's special assistant, Nick U'Ren, who was a fan of the lineup because it always seemed to pick up the pace of the game to a faster speed, which the Warriors preferred.

[14][15] He had also been watching video of the 2014 NBA Finals, when the series turned after San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich increased the tempo by switching to a small-ball lineup with the 6-foot-8-inch (2.03 m) Boris Diaw at center.

[29] During the off-season, Golden State signed former league MVP and four-time scoring champion Kevin Durant to replace Harrison Barnes, who had averaged just five points and made only 5 of 32 shots during the last three losses in the 2016 Finals.

Curry, asked by Durant why he wanted him to join, assured him that he was focused on winning and not concerned with being the face of the franchise, despite being the two-time defending league MVP.

[35] After eliminating the Pelicans in five games, the Warriors continued with the starting lineup in the conference finals to build a 2–1 series lead against the Houston Rockets.

He gave Golden State a top-flight, true center for the first time under Kerr, and they became the first team in 42 years with a starting lineup of five All-Stars from the previous season.

[51][52] The Rockets featured two of the top one-on-one, pick-and-roll players in James Harden and Chris Paul, and the coach wanted Iguodala's defense in the starting lineup to counter.

[53] In Game 2, each member of the lineup scored at least 15 points, the first time for a Warriors starting unit under Kerr, and Golden State jumped to a 2–0 series lead.

[54] Houston countered the Warriors' small unit by playing forward P. J. Tucker at center along with four guards, forming a lineup of five shooters all 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) or shorter, and tied the series 2–2.

[59] In the Western Conference finals, Golden State swept the Portland Trail Blazers 4–0, with three of the wins including comebacks of 15 points or more.

[65] After the 2018–19 season, the free agent Durant announced that he would sign with the Brooklyn Nets,[66] while Thompson agreed to re-sign with Golden State.

[67] Eyeing a replacement for Thompson while he recovered from his injury, the Warriors traded Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies in order to free salary cap space to acquire All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade package with Brooklyn for Durant.

This marked the 1st instance in Steve Kerr's coaching tenure with the Warriors that they failed to win a playoff series in the Western Conference.