Analyzing Cam Payne's impact on the Phoenix Suns' post-season with and without Chris Paul

Cam Payne played an important role in the Phoenix Suns’ victory over the LA Clippers during game 2 of the NBA Western Conference finals.

Devin Booker was not at his best with his shooting while DeAndre Ayton produced a commanding 24-point double-double, which also included the game-winning alley-oop with less .7 seconds left on the clock.

The LA Clippers now find themselves trying to fight back from a 0-2 position for the third time this year.

Of course, the loss of All-Star Kawhi Leonard has impacted the Clippers’ chances, although the Phoenix Suns are also missing their own All-Star in the form of Chris Paul, who does not have a confirmed return date until now.

Regardless, in this article, we look at Cameron Payne’s impact on the Phoenix Suns’ post-season, especially in the absence of Chris Paul.

Analyzing Cam Payne’s impact on the Phoenix Suns’ playoff run especially in the absence of Chris Paul

Cameron Payne has not had an overtly outstanding regular season. The 26-year old started just one game, the Phoenix Sun’ final fixture of the regular season against the San Antonio Spurs.

Payne was brought in for Chris Paul following a string of impressive performances off the bench. He averaged 8.4 points in 61 matches along with 3.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds whilst shooting at a healthy 57.6%.

Cam Payne has come on well in place of Chris Paul for the Phoenix Suns

With the Suns starting their post-season campaign against the LA Lakers, Payne made an important contribution through Round 1 as well. He was the Suns’ most efficient shooter off the bench, improving his output to almost 11 points per game and being impressive from the 3-point zone as well.

Payne’s overall performances have meant that he was pushed into the starting lineup following Chris Paul’s COVID-related absence. In game 1, the likes of Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton took up the bulk of offensive scoring as the Suns had six players scoring in double digits.

Cam Payne did not have the best of times with his shooting, but finished with 11 points and 9 assists and was second only to Devin Booker in terms of dimes for the Suns.

The LA Clippers saw Paul George produce an impressive 34-point display while Reggie Jackson produced 24. Leonard’s absence and the Suns’ all-round shooting performance meant they produced a comfortable game 1 victory.

Cam Payne produced his career-best return of 29 points in game 2, and stepped up in a big way in what was his third start of the season. Payne started brightly and finished with 29 points and 9 assists. He was especially impressive with his mid-range shots, something Paul is well-known for.

He also proved his playmaking skills and produced 9 assists for his second straight game, with both Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder having less than impressive nights. Cam Payne’s 29-point response led the LA Clippers to a close victory and has put them in the driving seat for the Western Conference Finals.

While the match might as well be remembered for DeAndre Ayton's buzzer-beater, Cam Payne has stepped up in a big way for the Phoenix Suns in the post-season, and his importance is there for all to see in Chris Paul’s absence.