FAYETTEVILLE — Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes and Andre Igoudala are each uniquely talented basketball players in their own right.
Together, in 2015, they became known as the "Death Lineup" when they shared the court for the Golden State Warriors on the way to an NBA title.
Last season, the Warriors exchanged Barnes for former MVP Kevin Durant and the Death Lineup became even more effective. Each player was a current or former All-Star, but the sum of the lineup was greater than the parts. They fit perfectly and the rest of the NBA is still playing catch up.
Lineups matter. On-court chemistry is very real.
How do a certain player’s talents compliment his four teammates on the court? Is there enough shooting to space the floor? Is there a good enough collective basketball IQ to make the defense work and pay off crisp offense with extra passes and unselfish play? Are there enough defenders on the court? How much versatility does the group have in a game placing more value on being flexible?
These are the thought exercises most coaching staffs go through as they weigh and discuss lineup building and work to create a strong rotation. The ability to adapt on the fly based on in-game performance and circumstances is obviously key, but finding a way to mesh talent to form lineups in which players’ skills compliment each other is also vital.
Arkansas coach Mike Anderson is constantly experimenting with different player combinations. Last year, he used 11 starting lineups. Anderson preaches the importance of depth and uses it to search for effective groupings.
Last year, Anderson didn’t have a lot of different looks he could trot onto the floor. The Razorbacks had good depth, but the rotation was comprised of guards 6-3 or shorter and bigs who struggled to stretch the floor or play-make. Once SEC play began, Arkansas only had five regularly used lineups which were net positives on the floor together, according to tracking data from Hoop Lens. That’s a surprisingly low number for a 26-win team and not ideal given the depth the Hogs had with a coach so willing to try new looks.
That won’t be the case in 2017-18. Arkansas signed four players and three are long, versatile wing types - exactly the kind of player the Hogs lacked last season. C.J. Jones and his long, 6-5 frame figure to receive a substantial bump in playing time with the graduation of Dusty Hannahs and Manny Watkins.
Arkansas went from having no stretchy wings to being flush with them. Anderson will have a lot of options this season, an ability afforded by the versatility now on the roster.
“I get a chance to experiment some more in terms of, we can big as big as we want to or as small as we want to,” Anderson said.
There are a many fun lineups Anderson could use this year, even if the Razorbacks are without freshman guard Khalil Garland. Here are some of them.
STARTING LINEUP
Look, odds are Anderson will try out double digit starting lineups or close to it.
That’s how he typically operates, especially when dealing with a team with a lot of new faces. Arkansas fans are used to it. Players grow accustomed to it — they have to.
Given Anderson’s soft spot for seniors, beginning the year with this starting five wouldn’t be a surprise:
G — Jaylen Barford, Sr., 6-3, 202
G — Daryl Macon, Sr., 6-3, 185
G — Anton Beard, Sr., 6-0, 198
F — Dustin Thomas, Sr., 6-8, 225
F — Trey Thompson, Sr., 6-9, 265
All five figure to play a lot whether as starters or off the bench, but beginning the year with this veteran group as the starting lineup would be an Anderson kind of move. It was the lineup he mentioned on media day while also noting he hadn’t made any decisions, because, duh, the season was still a month away.
That five averaged a solid 109.5 points per 100 possessions and gave up a slightly below average 104.9 in a fairly limited sample size last year, according to Hoop Lens. But there is reason to think they’d fit together fairly well and would likely put up great offensive numbers.
Barford and Macon are bonafide All-SEC caliber players who should be even better entering their second year out of junior college. Any time they’re on the floor together, it puts a lot of pressure on opposing defenses. They can create offense for themselves and have shown the potential to do so for others, as well.
It may be a prudent move for Anderson to stagger their minutes so one of them is always on the court. That would cut into the time they play together a bit, but being able to have at least one talented shot-creator on the court at all times is valuable. Arkansas had a good 106.7 offensive rating when both were on the bench last year, but that team also had Hannahs, Watkins and Moses Kingsley - each either a smart offensive player, talented scorer or both.
Any lineup with Thompson in it last year flourished. His passing and unselfish demeanor motivates teammates to cut with more vigor off the ball and embrace the motion tenets Anderson preaches. He is an underrated defender.
His 27.7 net rating was the best on the team and Arkansas averaged an eye-popping 126.2 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor, a number which would’ve ranked first in the nation on the team level.
Pairing him with Thomas was money for Anderson last year. Each of the Razorbacks’ best 3-man combinations once SEC play began included Thomas and Thompson:
Barford, Thomas, Thompson — 121.6 ORtg, 89.3 DRtg — +32.3 net
Watkins, Thomas, Thompson — 113.4 ORtg, 86.6 DRtg — +26.8 net
Hannahs, Thomas, Thompson — 116.2 ORtg, 89.9 DRtg — +26.2 net
That is great offense mixed with even greater defense. Those numbers shouldn’t be taken lightly. The tandem worked very well together and starting them would assure they generally played at least a quarter of the game together.
Thomas is the returning starter at the 4, but was inconsistent a year ago and will have to fend off competition at the spot. Adrio Bailey is an especially intriguing option and has impressed since the start of fall practice. Still, Thomas was at his best when playing alongside starters and struggled when coming off the bench. If we’re buying into the notion he will still be in the rotation, he makes sense as a starter.
But how long would Anderson theoretically go with a starting five comprised completely of seniors?
Going with an all-senior starting lineup means there is very little backcourt experience coming off the bench. That can be worked around by staggering, but it may make more sense to bring one of the seniors off the bench and allow them to run the second unit, especially considering Anderson doesn’t shy away with using all-bench units.
Macon and Barford feel like near-locks to start, which leaves Beard as the obvious candidate to come off the bench. He played that role for the final 11 games last year as Arkansas closed 8-3.
Thompson seemingly has great chemistry with everyone, but especially Beard. They arrived in Fayetteville at the same time and have an evident connection on the court.
So how about this starting five:
G — Jaylen Barford, Sr., 6-3, 202
G — Daryl Macon, Sr., 6-3, 185
G — C.J. Jones, So., 6-5, 175
F — Dustin Thomas, Sr., 6-8, 225
F — Daniel Gafford, Fr., 6-11, 217
Jones replaces Beard and Gafford slides into Thompson’s spot.
Inserting Jones, one of the best shooters on a roster without a wealth of outside shooting, could potentially open up the floor for Barford and Macon. Arkansas doesn’t have any bigs who have consistently shown they can stretch the floor, so maximizing the spacing available will be at a premium.
Jones has a pure stroke and shot 50 percent on a low volume of 3-pointers last year. He would almost certainly be guarded by the opposing team’s worst perimeter defender on the court in this lineup and could potentially feast on open looks as a result of the attention the senior guards command. Arkansas shot 50 percent from 3-point range and took nearly half of its attempts from beyond the arc when that trio shared the court last year, an exciting number. They would have a chance to put numbers on the board, word to Pusha T.
The gravity Macon and Barford possess could help Gafford, too. He doesn’t have great offensive polish at this point, but is a gifted athlete with a 7-2 wingspan and the ability to finish above the rim with ease. Using him as a roll man or planting him in the dunker position could free him up for high-percentage looks off dropoffs when the defense collapses.
He was also a talented shot blocker in high school, a skill which should translate to the next level. Having him on the back line to potentially clean-up any messes created by the guards would be helpful.
Defense is the potential worry with this lineup. Jones didn’t play last year because of his struggles on that end of the court coupled with the wealth of veteran guards on the roster. He has worked hard with assistant T.J. Cleveland to improve and the feeling is there have been real strides there, but Anderson may be leery of starting a lineup with three players who have been below-average defenders to this point in their career.
That’s where having length on the roster comes into play. Anderson has the option to go with a longer, more defensive-oriented wing next to Barford and Macon if he feels it’s necessary.
G — Jaylen Barford, Sr., 6-3, 202
G — Daryl Macon, Sr., 6-3, 185
G — Darious Hall, Fr., 6-6, 202
F — Dustin Thomas, Sr., 6-8, 225
F — Daniel Gafford, Fr., 6-11, 217
Hall is probably the best candidate to emerge as a wing defender. He’s athletic and possesses a 7-foot wingspan. His physical profile gives him a lot of upside, but defense should be his ticket to playing time early. Arkansas will face several teams with big wings, like Missouri with Michael Porter and Kentucky with its litany of long-limbed freak athletes. Hall has even more value in those matchups.
He has good form on his jumper and is working on developing that portion of his game, but only made 9 3-pointers as a senior. It is harder to play a non-shooter on the wing when none of the bigs can shoot. Watkins thrived last year because he was an excellent cutter and passer and Moses Kingsley posed at least a small threat as a shooter, but even then, defenses sagged away from Watkins. Hall has good feel for the game and can read the defense when passing, but isn't necessarily comfortable with his handle at this point.
Anderson may start all of these lineups at some point. He may start none of them.
I know what you’re thinking: With Anderson, the starting lineup doesn’t matter as much as who he closes with. That’s true, but each of these lineups have the potential to be oft-utilized, including late in games, whether they’re starting groups or not.
“We can play any kind of way,” Cleveland said. “It depends on our matchups.”
SMALL BALL
Barford, Macon, Hannahs, Watkins and Kingsley comprised Arkansas’ second-best lineup once conference play began last year, averaging a mind-boggling 146.9 points per 100 and producing a massive 38.4 net rating.
But the small-ball unit was only Anderson’s ninth most-used lineup in the final 23 games. Perhaps it was the result of its struggles on defense. The group allowed 108.5 points per 100 but scored at such an incredibly high rate it didn’t matter. Maybe it was because it meant Watkins, at 6-3, had to assume the role of small-ball 4 and while the Hogs rebounded better than average, the staff didn’t think it was sustainable for long stretches.
“When you do go small, one of the concerns you’ve got to have is about rebounding and so that’s been a point of emphasis with this basketball team,” Anderson said. “Let’s not assume somebody’s going to get it. We’ve got some guards that should be getting us five and six rebounds, especially if they’re going to be out there those kind of minutes.”
Anderson will have plenty of small-ball options this year, but he won’t have to go as small as he did last year, which might mean we see more of it.
This lineup could be pretty salty:
G — Jaylen Barford, Sr., 6-3, 202
G — Daryl Macon, Sr., 6-3, 185
G — C.J. Jones, So., 6-5, 175 OR Anton Beard, Sr., 6-0, 198
F — Darious Hall, Fr., 6-6, 202
F — Daniel Gafford, Fr., 6-11, 217 OR Trey Thompson, Sr., 6-9, 265
The defense might not be great, but Watkins was the only one of the four guards last year who was a plus defender in the small-ball lineup that mowed down opposing teams.
Hall’s wingspan and athleticism indicate he should be able to handle playing small-ball 4 without many issues. There isn’t a surplus of bruising, efficient post-up power forwards in college basketball these days, so odds are Hall will match up just fine.
He is a wing, to be sure, with decent handles and vision and what should be a good perimeter shot in time. He won’t be a major offensive threat able to create his own looks from the get-go, but bumping him up a position could serve him well.
“We try to take advantage of a team’s (weaknesses),” Cleveland said. “They have a guy at the 4 spot we think is slow, we may put a guy like Darious who can guard on the other end, but they’ll have a hard time guarding him on this end.”
Anderson could get really crazy and go super small with something like this:
G — Jaylen Barford, Sr., 6-3, 202
G — Daryl Macon, Sr., 6-3, 185
G — Anton Beard, Sr., 6-0, 198
G — C.J. Jones, So., 6-5, 175
F — Darious Hall, Fr., 6-6, 202 OR Adrio Bailey, So., 6-6, 204
The concern would be that this lineup would bleed points on the defensive end while getting abused on the glass, but the spacing on offense would be incredible and it could be dangerous for short stints against the right opponent. Bailey’s hops and Hall’s length allow them to play much bigger than their height suggests.
The game is trending smaller all the time and placing more of an emphasis on skill, shooting and versatility. Anderson has always leaned that direction anyway. Here’s to hoping for more small ball in 2017-18.
SWITCH EVERYTHING
The real beauty of the way Anderson and his staff remade the roster is in how the versatility of the wings aligns with the switching defense the Razorbacks so often like to employ.
Arkansas often struggled when it tried to switch last year because it opened itself up to mismatches. The Razorbacks like to gamble and trap post-ups regardless of who is guarding on the block, but there’s an extra urgency when it’s a guy like Beard being sealed by a 6-9 dude. It’s difficult for a defense to be effective in a switching scheme if it is routinely having to over-help because the offense is able to target a certain defender.
But Anderson could conceivably put a group on the floor with the ability to switch everything and not give much up.
G — Jaylen Barford, Sr., 6-3, 202
G — C.J. Jones, So., 6-5, 175
G — Darious Hall, Fr., 6-6, 202
G — Adrio Bailey, So., 6-7, 217
F — Daniel Gafford, Fr., 6-11, 217
Barford is just 6-3, but his barrel-chested frame allows him to hold his own against players considerably taller. Jones added strength and weight over the offseason and his height, length and athleticism should prevent him from being a pushover as he matures.
Hall and Bailey are two of the most intriguing players on the roster because of their defensive potential and the ability to guard multiple positions. It isn’t out of the realm of possibility both could eventually guard 1-5 comfortably. Anderson covets that kind of switchability and is quietly building a super long, switchable lineup through recruiting versatile wings. Canadian freshman Gabe Osabuohien, 6-8 with a 7-1 wingspan, should figure into the mix in time.
Gafford is much more athletic than Kingsley, who was able to match up decently well most of the time, especially when he resisted reaching in on guards.
Don’t like the idea of Jones being in a lineup predicated on defense? What about this, if Garland can get cleared:
G — Jaylen Barford, Sr., 6-3, 202
G — Khalil Garland, Fr., 6-5, 198
G — Darious Hall, Fr., 6-6, 202
G — Adrio Bailey, So., 6-6, 204
F — Daniel Gafford, Fr., 6-11, 217
That group could be menacing from a pressure standpoint and the unbridled athleticism in the open court has a lot of potential. But it would be dependent on forcing turnovers and getting out in transition, because the lack of spacing in the halfcourt could strangle the offense if the game slowed down. That’s why sliding Garland to the point and replacing Barford with someone like Thomas is probably unpalatable. How would they score if they couldn’t run? There is also very little experience in that group.
Anderson will liberally tinker with different defensive-oriented groupings early in the year. He has a lot better chance of finding a lockdown unit with this roster than last year’s roster.
BIG
The Twin Towers look featuring Kingsley and Thompson playing in tandem was Arkansas’ fourth-best lineup once SEC play began last year.
The Razorbacks scored a scorching 132 points per 100 and allowed 102, an average defensive rating in general terms but a stingy one relative to Arkansas against good competition.
Anderson went to the lineup more frequently as the year went on because the 4 was the weak spot on the team. It’s still very much a question mark heading into this year.
Will Thomas finally produce consistently in his fourth year of college ball? Will Bailey take a step forward? Bullish on this. Will Arlando Cook be on the team? It may not matter even if he is. Will Hall emerge as an option there? If two of the four aforementioned players can provide solid minutes at the 4, the Razorbacks are in business. If it’s less, pairing Thompson and Gafford may become commonplace.
It may anyway. They’re arguably the most talented bigs on the roster. The fit isn’t as good as Kingsley and Thompson, because Gafford doesn’t have nearly the jumper Kingsley (who wasn’t really that great of a shooter) did. With that in mind, such a lineup would need to put a premium on spacing with the other three spots.
G — Anton Beard, Sr., 6-0, 198
G — Daryl Macon, Sr., 6-3, 185
G — C.J. Jones, So., 6-5, 175
F — Daniel Gafford, Fr., 6-11, 217
F — Trey Thompson, Sr., 6-9, 265
Anderson doesn’t love to play two traditional bigs together. Remember, Kingsley and Bobby Portis rarely shared the court when they were teammates.
Maybe Gafford and Thompson won’t play together. That might be a positive development.
We won’t really know until the season starts obviously. That goes for any of this.
That’s what will make the nonconference portion of the schedule so fun to watch. That the experimentation will come against some heavy hitters is just icing on the cake.
“I just like the different interchangeable parts,” Anderson said.
Anderson definitely has options. None of them will be the college version of the Death Lineup, but he has more choices, perhaps even some better choices, than a year ago.