Paul tells Pelicans it was closing time
In Game 1 of the playoffs a year ago, Suns guard Chris Paul reminded us just how fragile a run at a championship can be after he went down with a shoulder injury against the Lakers.
On Sunday, Paul reminded us of that fact again, although in a much different way.
The NBA defines clutch time as the last five minutes of a game with one team leading by no more than five points.
But that wasn’t the case for the Suns Sunday in their first-round playoff game against the Pelicans. Clutch time came much earlier, when the Pelicans, down 23 points at one point, closed to within eight points by the end of the third quarter.
For Paul, that meant closing time had to come early. And that’s what the Suns point guard did, closed the game out, nearly by himself.
In one stretch, Paul scored 17 of the Suns 19 points and boosted their lead to 14 points with 5:35 remaining. The Suns cruised from there, winning 11099 at Footprint Center.
If the Suns go on to win this series in four or five games, the memory of what Paul did Sunday will fade by the start of the next round. If they go on to win their first NBA title, it’s a performance that might become an answer to a trivia question.
Neither should happen. It was one of the most brilliant stretches of basketball in the team’s playoff history.
“I’ve seen it a ton and our local media is probably sick of me saying it,” Suns coach Monty Williams said, “but it’s something I’m grateful for. It’s not a play call. It’s not an X and O thing. It’s just his ability to understand when he needs to take over a game. I don’t think I’ve been around anybody like Chris, who had that innate feel for that time.
“Just a great basketball player, not just a great point guard, but a great basketball player.”
The bright green suit Paul wore after the game was not understated, but its owner was. Nineteen points in the fourth quarter? Just taking what the defense gave me, and giving my team what it needed, he said.
“Over the course of the game you just try to keep that energy there,” Paul said. “If that means I have to score, so be it.”
On Sunday, he had to score. The Suns ran the pick and roll early and often in the last quarter, and Paul could hear Pelicans coach Willie Green, a former teammate and Suns assistant coach, yelling at his players to go under the screen.
“That’s inviting me to shoot,” Paul said.
So, he did. Eight times. Made seven. “It shouldn’t surprise anybody,” guard Devin Booker said. “He’s built for these moments.”
The Suns are deep, talented and well coached. But, like last year, a run at their first championship is going to depend largely on Paul’s health.
Because when he’s not nursing a neck stinger, a wrist injury, a thumb fracture or any of the other maladies he’s suffered at inopportune times over the last 16 years, there’s no one else in the NBA like him.
At his best, Paul can compensate for deficiencies elsewhere, like when the Suns defense regressed a bit in the third quarter. Or giving up 25 offensive rebounds. Or an offense that sputtered in the third quarter when Paul was out.
While the Suns have some depth at most positions, point guard is a concern.
Paul’s backup, Cameron Payne, made just one of six shots Sunday and didn’t have an assist. That has to improve, because the Pelicans are going to continue to play Paul aggressively.
They did everything they could early Sunday to get the ball out of his hands. And when they couldn’t do that, when Paul was going off in that fourth quarter, they tried three different defenders on him.
Each seemed to have less success than the one that came before. When the Pelicans clamped down on Paul’s jumper, he drove to the basket for layups that were open, Williams said, because the rest of the Suns were properly spaced.
Williams and his players acknowledged shortcomings. The poor rebounding is especially concerning, and Williams said his players were anxious to watch video and correct the problems.
But overall, the Suns preferred to look at the positives. In the playoffs, opponents are not going to roll over, or start pulling starters, when they’re down 23, Paul said. Most games are going to be close.
The Suns defense was stifling most of the night and they were sharp at the outset, despite not playing a game last week.
Neglect contributes to rust, but it was clear early in Sunday’s game the Suns did more in their week between games than rest and reflect on all they accomplished in the regular season.
The only noticeable rust at Footprint Center came early when Booker went to the free throw line for the first time. Fans tried to chant “MVP” in unison, but some were on the “M” when others already were hitting the “P.”
Sunday night, the Suns MVP was Paul. He finished with 30 points on 12 of 16 shooting. He had 10 assists. And one
big save.