Chris Paul is on a Mission

Author: Ian Kayanja

Editor: Mark Awadallah

Chris Paul is cut from a different cloth. We have heard it all from “fierce competitor,” to the “point god.” And all of it - the adulation and praise - is warranted. Paul is the consummate winner, but he hasn’t won the big one just yet. That is what makes this postseason so different. For the first time since his untimely injury in the 2018 Western Conference Finals, Paul has a shot to play on the biggest stage in the NBA. And this postseason, he’s not going to waste it. “Obviously Chris Paul doesn't see us, he doesn't feel us and we're not impacting what he's trying to do in any way, shape or form," Denver head coach Mike Malone said. "And I think you can say that pretty much for the Phoenix Suns roster.” Through a hurt shoulder, it’s Paul’s competitive drive that separates him from any other point guard in the league. There is nothing he can’t do on a basketball court. He turned the Denver Nuggets’ defense to the tune of 15 assists in Game 2. He managed the pace and controlled the tempo in Game 1. And from time to time, he can still remind those watching at home that he can take over a game at a moment’s notice. “I'm telling you," Paul said after scoring 17 points with 15 assists and no turnovers in Game 2. "I really haven't been on a team quite like this one.”

Paul says he’s never been on a team quite like this one, and that is true. The Suns have great perimeter threats at nearly every position, and that has played to the benefit of him and Devin Booker. However, Paul has looked more engaged. In every moment the Suns have needed him, thus far, he’s risen to the occasion. Outside of re-aggravating his shoulder, there is no reason to believe that he stops producing anytime soon during this playoff run. Now, his Suns sit in the driver’s seat of a series against the Denver Nuggets. It’s a crossroads in Paul’s career. For 16 years, he’s sought NBA immortality. He’s still seeking it now, but he feels closer to it than ever before. This team feels different than any other team Paul has played for during his lengthy NBA career. They look different too. There is no fear in the big moments. They don’t roll over in the face of big stars. They don’t back down from a fight. The Suns are real. They are authentic. And a month from now, it wouldn’t be shocking if we saw them in the NBA finals.

Paul is cut from a different cloth, and he knows it. He helped the Suns topple the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s been instrumental in the current second-round series against Denver. And he’s hungry for a finals appearance. Paul’s always been different, and it’s time we sit back and celebrate it.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE