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The Warriors won a playoff series for the first time in three years last night, and it is in part due to Golden State’s new small-ball lineup. The unit, which features Draymond Green at center and Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins, has been the team’s best lineup recently.
For Game 5 vs. Denver, Golden State even started the lineup for the first time in the playoffs after Curry came off the bench for the previous four games.
During the Warriors stretch of three championships in four games, the team was known for their small-ball “death lineup,” featuring Curry, Thompson, Green, Andre Iguodala and either Harrison Barnes or Kevin Durant depending on the lineup.
This year, with two new members, the lineup has a new nickname. People are calling this lineup “PTSD” for Poole, Thompson, Steph and Draymond.
“I’ve seen that somewhere, it pretty much goes pretty well so I guess we’re going to stick with it,” Gary Payton Jr. said recently.
But why isn’t Wiggins’s name included? Payton said that is perfect for who Wiggins is as a player.
“[Wiggins] we just keep by himself, let him do his own thing. That’s just Wigs,” Payton said.
Payton added he loves watching this lineup close out games, even if he isn’t involved.
“Watching ‘PTSD’ go to work in the last crunch time minutes, that last unit, five minutes left in the game, they go and put on a show,” he said.
“PTSD” will move on to the next round, where they will play either the Grizzlies or Timberwolves.
