It's been a while since the Golden State Warriors' famous death lineup has been the topic of the NBA. However, they recently unveiled the latest incarnation against the Denver Nuggets.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr struck gold by going with the closing lineup of Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green, and Al Horford against the Nuggets.
Steve Kerr closed with Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Al Horford. It’s a jumbo lineup Kerr said has never even played together in practice. Assistants Terry Stotts and Chris DeMarco suggested it late in the game. pic.twitter.com/wFvAmu6oSF
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 24, 2025
That unorthodox guard, three-forward, and center lineup helped them snatch a hard-fought game away from the Nuggets.
It's a tantalizing lineup, to be sure, considering what those five players can do individually. Curry is obviously the best shooter in NBA history and still causes defenses to scramble when he is sprinting around screens.
Butler isn't as much of a three-point shooter nowadays, but he can still make things happen with the ball in his hands. Either attacking the paint, creating an open shot for a teammate, or drilling mid-range jumpers.
He can also shut down multiple positions. Kuminga has a similar skill set, though not as good as Butler's. Nevertheless, Butler has seemingly taken him under his wing, and he is still developing different aspects of his games, such as playmaking, which has made him a more dangerous player.
Green is the lynchpin of the lineup with his defensive versatility, keeping the Warriors well covered on both ends.
Lastly, Horford, who was a sneaky great addition, anchors the lineup. His ability to space the floor helps to negate the lack of shooting between Kuminga, Butler, and Green with Horford pulling the opposing center away from the rim.
The Warriors' latest death lineup is more terrifying than ever before
Gone are the days of a Curry, Klay Thompson, Shaun Livingston, Andre Iguadala, and Green lineup or even the Kevin Durant incarnation. Even so, the Warriors may have lucked into a great closing lineup that could help them ice games and bolster their playoff chances.
Curry is already one of the best closers in the NBA, and Butler is almost equally as prolific in the clutch. Stopping one from going off is already difficult enough, but having both trading off delivering daggers and playing off one another could prove lethal.
Defensively, they may not be the biggest lineup in the NBA, but they have plenty of defensive versatility. Green and Horford can guard both power forwards and centers, while Butler and Kuminga are interchangeable on the wing as defenders, making the lineup super switchable.
Butler can easily defend a guard or switch onto a four, as can Kuminga and Green. With the season still young, expect Kerr to go back to that five-man lineup plenty to see just how well they perform against different teams. Fortunately, the flexibility of that unityshould make for a potentially dominant 5-man lineup.