Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder could not start together as a trio, so the more bench-experienced Schroder took the bench role. But just because they do not start together does not mean they cannot play together. In fact, they have logged 146 minutes on-court as a three-man combination.
How does this work, though? How can a team fit three Point Guards into the same lineup and still have the second highest +/- out of any trio on the team?
It all starts with Dennis Schroder. As a mainly scoring guard, he can slot into an off-ball role with relative ease to relax some of the playmaking pressure. Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the taller PG's going around at 6 foot 5, so he can be utilised as an undersized slashing Small Forward while Chris Paul continues to command the offense with his veteran leadership and otherworldly playmaking.
The offensive potency is clear, but smaller lineups often get exposed defensively. Not in this case. Paul is and has always been a great perimeter defender, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has the length and quickness to be a pest defensively and Dennis Schroder is a hard-nosed presence who has worked hard on his defense to a point where he fits seamlessly into their scheme.
The talent is obviously there, but the production is top-class as well. Between the three, they are averaging 51.2 points, 13.2 rebounds and 12.8 assists. Impressive numbers considering the lowered minutes they are playing outside of Gilgeous-Alexander.
This blend of veteran leadership, young talent and mid-career consistency has proven to be a recipe for success with a Thunder team that has great players all through the roster, and it has kept the playoffs well within their sights.