Phoenix Suns: The Point Guard Hydra Is Working

Jan 4, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (right) and Goran Dragic on the bench prior to the game against the Toronto Raptors at US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Raptors 125-109. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 4, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (right) and Goran Dragic on the bench prior to the game against the Toronto Raptors at US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Raptors 125-109. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Phoenix Suns
Jan 4, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (right) and Goran Dragic on the bench prior to the game against the Toronto Raptors at US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Raptors 125-109. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

The Phoenix Suns’ greatest strength is its backcourt. That much became clear when general manager Ryan McDonough traded for Eric Bledsoe and the team played him right alongside Goran Dragic. It became even more amplified when the Suns added Isaiah Thomas this past summer to form the so-called “point guard hydra.”

But 43 games into the season, how is a team with three point guards doing?

A quick look at the standings tells you the Suns are 25-18, putting them 3.5 games ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. OKC’s health issues with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook appear to be behind them, however, and it may only be a matter of time before the Thunder work their way into the top eight.

That being said, what we’ve seen from Phoenix’s point guard hydra this season indicates it might not be as easy for Oklahoma City as one would think. As winners in 13 of their last 17 games, the Suns are on a roll despite their “low” standing in the West.

Coming off a game in which the trio combined for 65 points, 16 assists, 15 rebounds and nine steals while shooting 25-for-38 from the floor, it felt like a good time to look at how the small-ball lineups are going for the Suns and why they’ve been so successful.

Next: The Hydra