Chris Paul has become the fashionable player in the NBA. At 36, one of the best foundations of the last decades seems to begin to find the recognition that he has been denied many times because of his character or the absence of titles and individual awards in his palm.
The point guard, who in 2017 signed a contract with the Rockets for 160 million dollars (“The worst we have seen in the world of sports”, said the franchise owner years later) seemed to have reached the end of the getaway and was singled out as one of those responsible for the Rockets’ double elimination against the Warriors in 2018 and 2019, being also designated as a toxic element in the Texan wardrobe and in his relationship with Harden. It seemed like the NBA had already seen the best of CP3.
The worst contract we have seen in the history of the sport
Nothing could be further from the truth. The point guard still had many lessons to teach on the court. First in Oklahoma, where he managed to get an defenestrated team into the playoffs. And this season in Phoenix where he has been able to put the Arizona franchise on the next step and make him one of the great power alternatives in the Wild West.
So far he has managed to get the team in the second round (something that hasn’t happened since 2010) is there one step away from reaching the Finals of Conference with a total basketball and a capacity of leadership beyond all doubt.
The base, who has rejected renew for the Suns for $ 44 million and aspires to a last great contract, he is setting the chair in these playoffs with decisive numbers (27 points, eight assists and 67% from triple) like the ones he signs in the last quarters of the series against the Nuggets: 10 points per game, 12 of 13 in field goals, eight assists … and zero losses. Figures that show the influence of a Paul who many accused of toxic and whose 41 million dollars per season have now become the great bargain of the NBA.
Embiid-Simmons, the connection that shakes the NBA
Joel Embiid is the great figure of the Philadelphia 76ers who are already looking to the Eastern Finals after recovering the home court factor against the Atlanta Hawks. However, as decisive as the African pvot was Ben Simmons, who knew how to take advantage of his greater size against the defense of Trae Young and signed 18 points and seven essential assists for the victory of Doc Rivers’ team.
One of the great weapons the Hawks can use against the physical might of the Sixers is their shooters, but in Game 3 of the series the Georgia men didn’t have their best day from the perimeter. Nate McMillan’s team barely scored six of the 23 triples I tried. Especially fallones were Gallinari (zero out of four) and Kevin Huerter (one out of five).
Aaron Gordon came to Denver as the player called to help Jokic take the Nuggets to the next level. However, in these playoffs the former Magic player is not finding a way to help his leader, whom he left very alone in the third game of the series. The power-wing finished with four points (two of 10 in field goals) and four rebounds in 36 minutes. Little production for a player of his stature.
Subscribe to the BRAND Basket Newsletter and receive in your email, from Monday to Sunday and first thing in the morning, the exclusive news, interviews, reports, graphics and videos that will mark the day in the NBA, Endesa League, Euroleague and the rest of the basket world.
.
