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Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns are just one win away from the NBA finals. They hold a 3-1 lead over the LA Clippers in their Western Conference Finals matchup and will be looking to end the series at their home arena on Monday.
Chris Paul has played a major role in the Phoenix Suns' success, as he has had an instant on-and-off-the-court impact since his arrival in the 2020 NBA offseason.
What makes Chris Paul the greatest point guard in modern NBA?
Chris Paul is averaging 16 points and close to 9 assists these playoffs, on 44% shooting from the field. Paul is 36-years-old and is in his 16th season in the NBA, but his basketball IQ and drive for excellence have ensured that he is still one of the best players around.
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Paul is considered to be an all-time great point guard. However, there is a case to be made for him to be the best point guard the modern NBA has seen. Here are 3 reasons why Chris Paul can be considered the greatest point guard of contemporary times.
#3 His leadership qualities and ability to make other players better around him
Whether it's the LA Clippers, OKC Thunder or his current team, the Phoenix Suns, Chris Paul has made an instant impact in every franchise he has ever been with his leadership. Paul views himself as a trendsetter who can push the players around him to possess the same drive towards the game that he has.
The latest examples include the Phoenix Suns' star shooting guard Devin Booker and center DeAndre Ayton. Booker was always a level 1 scorer, who was touted to be one of the best shooting guards in the league, while Ayton was the No.1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Both players were having a productive stint with the Suns, but CP3's arrival has taken their game to another level.
Booker has learned how to play winning basketball, while Ayton has gone from being identified as a serviceable player to a match-winner. Chris Paul's ability to lead a team is unparalleled, and it is one of the reasons that makes an all-time great.
Also Read: Why Rick Carlisle's return makes the Indiana Pacers a force to reckon with in the Eastern Conference
#2 Chris Paul's stellar playmaking
Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, and Kyrie Irving are some of the players that are revered as the best point guards of the modern generation. However, with the exception of Westbrook, none of these players are as good at playmaking as Chris Paul is. Westbrook, on the other hand, has been found guilty of playing subpar basketball come crunch time and has seldom tasted playoff success.
Paul has led the NBA in assists in three seasons - 2007-08, 2010-11, and 2013-14. Centers and forwards love to play with Chris Paul because of his ability to find a big for a simple dunk or locate a wing for a layup.
Chris Paul's intelligence and his feel for the game make him a unique player, which no other point guard in the league can claim to be.
#1 Chris Paul's defense has been impeccable throughout his career
Modern point guards have been accused of being lazy on the defensive end quite often. Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook are all known to be below-average defenders. Teams often exploit weak defensive players in the postseason, and small-sized guards are usually on the end of this treatment.
However, Chris Paul has proved to be an exception to this rule throughout his career. Standing at just 6 feet, Paul's ability to anticipate opposition plays even before they happen and his quick hands have made him a menace on the defensive side of the ball, pestering players throughout the game.
Chris Paul has actually led the NBA in steals for a whopping six seasons - 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14. He brings the same intensity and tenacity to the playoffs as well, as he has averaged 2.1 steals per game in his postseason career.
Paul has at times proven to be a lockdown defender on the perimeter, locking down the other team's No.1 guard. The knack and willingness to play good defense is rarely found in modern point guards, and that is what makes Chris Paul so special.
