The Spurs’ guard trio is giving Victor Wembanyama the elite perimeter defense he needed

Those who doubted the San Antonio Spurs' three-guard lineup are getting a wake-up call. The trio has been looking good as of late, and it hasn't just been on the scoring end. Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, and De'Aaron Fox have also been impressive defensively, making Victor Wembanyama's job easier by providing some reliable perimeter support.

These three are already dangerous together on offense. They know how to use their speed, athleticism, and ball-handling ability to fly from one end of the floor to the other and finish at the basket or create opportunities for others. It's one of the biggest reasons why the Spurs are among the NBA's best transition teams.

But they can also terrorize opponents defensively, and we've seen that in full effect through their first 11 games of the season. Having three big guards who compete on that end alongside a premier shot-blocker like Wemby is a recipe for long-term success.

They're making Wembanyama's job much easier

After the NBA Finals, it was clear that Wemby needed some defensive support. Of course, he's dominant on that side of the floor on his own—arguably the best defender in the entire league—but he can't do it by himself. The Spurs needed to take a load off his shoulders, but it looks like they've found an answer in their guard trio.

Castle is already an All-Defense caliber player who's proven he can lock down some of the league's best scorers at the point of attack. Fox and Harper are also disruptive, moving their feet to cut off opponents or using their quick hands to rip the ball from opponents and ignite fast-break opportunities. Each of them has had multiple games this season with at least two steals.

Their ability to cut off ball-handlers and keep them from getting into the paint takes so much pressure off Wemby. When he shares the court with them, he doesn't have to constantly move himself out of position to clean up their defensive errors. This allows him to exert even more energy to dominate on the offensive end.

The Spurs' guard trio is continuing to prove why patience is important

Have these three been perfect together? No, there's still a lot for them to work on as a collective to be at their best. But game by game, they're getting better, finding so many ways to impact winning.

We're seeing it now: there are plenty of benefits to having three athletic guards share the court. On offense, they can each handle the ball and get to the basket at will. On defense, they're flying around the perimeter and harassing opponents with prejudice.

Once they all find their rhythm as shooters, we're looking at one of the most lethal lineups in the entire league.

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