Spurs send powerful message to rest of NBA with an unexpected lineup decision

After dispatching the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the NBA playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round. However, they may have already tipped their hand regarding a potential lineup.

During Game 4 and Game 5 of their series against the Blazers, they played De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, and Victor Wembanyama together. Fox, Castle, and Harper playing together during both games is notable since they rarely shared the floor during the regular season.

That has mostly been due to spacing concerns. It's something that coach Mitch Johnson has focused on more this season.

With Castle and Harper shooting the ball well post all-star break and Fox cooking in Game 3 and Game 4, Johnson apparently felt comfortable trying out the point guard trio in the playoffs.

Spurs are now playing De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle together

Having three playmakers on the court at the same time who can also space the floor for one another is a potential game-changer for the Spurs. For instance, if Fox is running a pick-and-roll with Wembanyama and teams sag off of Castle or Harper, they have shown they are capable of making teams pay.

Against the Blazers, Castle and Harper combined to knock down 13 out of 30 3-point attempts, hitting 43.3% of their six 3-point attempts per game. Not to be outdone, Fox connected on 36.3% of his 4.4 3-point attempts per game against Portland, with many of his threes being off-the-dribble.

All of that is to say that the shooting concerns involved with playing those three players together seemingly no longer exist. Factor in having Vassell there also spacing the floor and Wembanyama pulling his defender away from the rim, and San Antonio shouldn't be hurting for offense.

The Spurs' point guard trio could unlock San Antonio's full potential

Defensively, Fox is a perfectly capable defender, as is Harper, while Castle is an All-Defense caliber wing. Meanwhile, Vassell also adds another defender along with his sharpshooting. Last but not least is Wembanyama.

He is the great eraser, keeping opponents out of the paint and rejecting shots when they dare attack him. Pairing their guards with Wembanyama and another shooter is a recipe for success on both sides of the ball. It might not be a lineup the Spurs use every game, but it's one that has significant potential.

Especially on offense with three slashers and plenty of spacing. If all goes well in those Fox, Harper, and Castle lineups, that could give fans a glimpse at a future Spurs starting five.

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