Paul's 32 points (and strong second half showing) put Phoenix in the driver's seat of the NBA Finals.
The NBA’s obsession with championships as a legacy-definer has hurt plenty of players’ reputations in previous decades, but perhaps nobody more so than Chris Paul.
The future Hall-of-Famer is arguably one of the top five point guards in basketball history, and a scan through his postseason game log reveals dozens of standout performances. But prior to 2021, Paul took on an unfair persona among casual fans and the less discerning factions of the basketball intelligentsia. His career seemed destined to end with one giant hole, including double-digit All-NBA selections but no championship. That narrative could be put to death sooner than later if Tuesday night is any indication.
Paul turned in another playoff performance to remember in Tuesday’s 118-105 Game 1 win over Milwaukee, a rout in which he tallied 32 points and nine assists on just 19 shots. Paul didn’t score in the first quarter, appearing a bit jittery early on as Devin Booker powered Phoenix’s early lead. But as the Bucks sat within striking distance after halftime, Paul put the game out of reach. He started the half with a mid-range jumper off a Milwaukee switch, and he then buried a 30-foot triple as he forced a flagrant foul on Milwaukee center Brook Lopez. Milwaukee crept within 10 with fewer than six minutes left, yet once again there was Paul, hitting the breaks to induce an and-one as Giannis Antetokounmpo tumbled to the floor. Paul's chess move was a play we’ve seen for nearly two decades now. The moment is now finally befitting Paul’s brilliance.
The Point God finished Tuesday night plus-17 in 37 minutes. He’s committed just four turnovers in his last three playoff games. Paul isn’t turning back the clock as much as he’s holding steady, fine-tuning his game around his aging body with shocking ease. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta reportedly thought Paul’s four-year, $160 million deal was the worst contract in sports just two years ago, and Paul was effectively sent out to the NBA’s pasture when he was traded to Oklahoma City. He’s now shining on the game’s greatest stage, just three wins from hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The road for Paul to reach this point has been arduous to say the least. He carried an overachieving New Orleans team to 56 wins in his third season, nearly reaching the Western Conference finals before a Game 7 loss to the Spurs. A partnership with Kobe Bryant was scuttled by David Stern and the league office, leading Paul across the Staples Center hallway as he racked up 313 wins in six years. Injuries and a couple of perplexing chokes kept Paul from the Finals with the Clippers. His hamstring (and 27 straight missed threes) kept Houston from dethroning Golden State. The stars never quite aligned for Paul previously. Perhaps 2021 will mark a massive karmic reward after a historic career.
The Lob City Clippers sported a pretty elite trio in its prime, and the Paul-James Harden-Clint Capela trio went 50–5 together in the 2017-18 regular season. But it’s hard to argue that any previous situation is better than the one Paul currently enjoys in Phoenix. It’s almost as if the roster was engineered to slot him in seamlessly, with a dynamic rolling center and sharpshooting guard serving as the franchise’s two cornerstones. Both youngsters made a major impact on Tuesday. Deandre Ayton finished the night with 22 points and 19 rebounds, feasting on roll opportunities as Paul manipulated the defense. Devin Booker tallied 27 points along with a plus-18, and he put on an offensive clinic alongside Paul. Phoenix's guards diced Milwaukee’s defense with ease both in the pick-and-roll and on isolation opportunities, often working on an island against Lopez and forward Bobby Portis. Booker needed just one three to score 27 points. Paul finished a cool 12-of-19 from the field. The Bucks theoretically have the defensive personnel to contain Phoenix’s guards with Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton, yet they still appear to be searching for answers after Game 1.
We won’t throw the Suns a parade quite yet after cruising to victory on Tuesday night. Antetokounmpo looked relatively healthy after being listed as doubtful for Game 1 entering the week, and there should be some three-point progression from Holiday in the coming contests. The Milwaukee crowd will be rabid on Sunday. Antetokounmpo still has another gear left with added rest. Paul’s injury history is something I’m loath to address, but it looms as a factor until this series is completely over. But it takes some convincing to declare the Suns as anything but prohibitive favorites entering Game 2 on Thursday.
This is a deep and flexible Phoenix roster with a superb coach in Monty Williams. Ayton and Booker are ready for prime time. As for Paul, he’s proving age is just a number in the NBA’s current era. He's playing some of the best basketball of his career as he closes Year 16, engineering one of the more satisfying title runs in recent memory.
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