Passing The Roses: Chris Paul

Sixteen seasons played in the NBA and counting, it is time to appreciate the greatness that Chris Paul has displayed. When discussing some of the most winningest players in NBA history, Paul’s name comes up due to his phenomenal leadership. Although he is still reaching his goal of clinching a championship, Paul remains a player that a franchise wants to build with as a contender.

Paul has shown to be one of the toughest competitors the NBA has ever seen. Over the past few years, his leadership has sparked controversy as teammates and opponents are not fond of how he handles situations. Paul has always been straightforward and knows exactly what he wants out of the rest of the team. He may have had an ongoing beef with past teammates, but every time Paul stepped on the floor, he has helped his guys achieve excellence as individual players.

Early All-Star seasons in New Orleans

The first time I understood that Paul was a winner was back in the 2007–08 season. After the New Orleans Hornets were transitioning back into Louisiana, the team came out the gates as a contender in the West led by heroics by Paul. Paul averaged 21.1 points per game along with 11.6 assists. His offensive initiation allowed teammates in David West, Morris Peterson, Tyson Chandler, and others to shine alongside him.

Paul led the Hornets to a 56–26 record. The team even went toe-to-toe with the San Antonio Spurs before losing in seven games in the second round. Paul’s magnificent season placed him as an MVP-Runner up behind Kobe Bryant. In only his third season, he created momentum for himself that would separate him as one of the premier point guards in the NBA.

Transitioning the Clippers to playoff contenders

Let’s fast forward to 2011, where Paul was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. For fans who may have not been fond of Paul’s last days as a Clipper, they should still show their appreciation for everything that he was able to accomplish in six seasons. The Clippers were a laughing stock in the city of Los Angeles for many years as the Lakers continued to dominate the Staples Center. In Paul’s tenure, the Clippers eventually eclipse the Lakers for a brief time as playoff contenders.

Paul transcended the Clippers alongside Blake Griffin and Doc Rivers. The team won 50+ games in five consecutive seasons and remained a consistent threat in the Western Conference. The only knock that people can give Paul is his failure to reach the Conference Finals during his time with Los Angeles. Besides coming up short of advancing the second round, Paul’s impact as the Clippers’ number one option gave fans optimism heading into every season.

Helping elevate Houston to a top contender

In 2017, Paul was traded to the Houston Rockets. The move forced many to scratch their heads wondering how he and James Harden could flourish together? The previous season, Harden transitioned to the point guard position and became the number one ball-handler for Houston. Luckily, the two figured how to play with one another and dominated the NBA through the 17–18 season.

Paul averaged 17.1 points in his two seasons at Houston. While he had the priority of initiating the offense, it allowed Harden to remain the offensive threat. The Rockets had a phenomenal 2018 season with a season-high 17-game win streak and finishing the season with an NBA-best 65–17 record. The narrative still floats around that if Paul never got injured in game five of the Conference Finals, the Rockets would’ve advanced to the NBA Finals.

Paul’s reinvention in Oklahoma City

Heading into the 2019–20 season, associates around the NBA seemed to begin giving up on Chris Paul. His game seemed to begin moving backward and teams didn’t necessarily want to take a chance on an aging point guard. When Paul was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, multiple options came about to ship him away. The Thunder’s best decision was keeping Paul around for veteran leadership to their young core.

Before we acknowledge Paul’s individual performance, let’s show appreciation for his mentorship of young players in Shai Gilegeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, and others. Throughout the season, Paul helped a rebuilding Thunder team believe in themselves and compete on a nightly basis.

Paul averaged 17.6 points per game along with 6.7 assists. No question was Oklahoma City’s number one option. Paul continuously came up huge for his team, being the number one player in the NBA in clutch points at 3.5 per game.

As Paul continued his MVP caliber season, the Thunder became one of the contending teams in the West. They finished the regular season at 44–28 and became the fifth seed in the conference. Oklahoma City took their competitive edge into the playoffs, where they took the Houston Rockets to seven games. The series came down to an unfortunate Lu Dort blocked shot by James Harden to send the Thunder out of the NBA bubble.

Although the season came to an end for the Thunder, the team continued to keep their heads high. For a team with a 0.2 percent chance to clinch a playoff spot at the beginning of the season, Paul’s impact on the season was huge for the baby Thunder.

Leading the Suns back to playoff contention/ 1st Finals appearance

Who would’ve expected the Phoenix Suns to return to contention? As Paul was traded to Phoenix in the offseason, the franchise’s playoff chances automatically increased. Paul has been one of the leaders for Phoenix, averaging 16.4 points along with 8.9 assists on the season.

The Suns have been at the top of the west for most of the season. The franchise had a new chip on their shoulder and were competing on the defensive end. Paul’s immaculate leadership has allowed this Suns team to play with more life. They believe that they can compete with anyone and have shown it all season.

As Phoenix finished the season with the second seed in the West, Paul once again had an incredible postseason. He instilled so much confidence in his teammates. Even as he sat out for part of the Conference Finals due to COVID protocols, the Suns still took a commanding 2–1 series lead, led by Devin Booker. Paul returned shortly and handed out a 41 point masterpiece in Game 6 as the Suns eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers and advanced to his first NBA Finals appearance.

After the Suns took a 2–0 series lead on the Milwaukee Bucks, the momentum of the series switched once Game Three arrived. Paul’s numbers in the finals were phenomenal with 21.8 points, 8.2 assists, on 55 percent shooting.

The issue that he had the most was turnovers and not stepping up in the fourth quarter. The Bucks did a phenomenal job of pressuring on the defensive end. They took Paul out of his comfort zone so he couldn’t impact the game as he did in Games one and two. Paul and the Suns would drop four straight games and come up short of an NBA Title.

Conclusion

CP3 is a point-god who impacts winning. Sure, he may have come short of an NBA championship this past season. Except for no matter what culture you place him in, Paul is going to find a way to bring the best out of his teammates. The Suns organization trusted Paul the same way that he was trusted in OKC. As his career continues on, we’ll watch him continue to make a positive impact on his team.