Bright side of the Suns: Paul turns on power
Chris Paul came through in a big way when the Phoenix Suns needed him most in the NBA playoffs.
Paul scored 19 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and the Suns overcame Devin Booker’s absence to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 114-111 yesterday in Game 3 of the first-round series.
Deandre Ayton added 28 points and 17 rebounds to help the topseeded Suns take a 2-1 series lead.
“He understands the ‘when’ and ‘how’ to create for himself and others,” Suns coach Monty Williams said.
“The leadership qualities that you guys don’t see in the timeouts is just as impressive as what he does on the floor.”
After New Orleans took their final lead, 93-92, with 5:37 left on Jose Alvarado’s spinning layup, Paul connected on three consecutive midrange jumpers — from 14, 12 and 15 feet — as Phoenix took control, 98-93. Paul hit another lane jumper and made four free throws in the final 1:32 to ice the game.
“It’s a big win for us,” Paul said, citing Booker’s absence. “We knew it was going to be by committee. We knew it would be tough, but everybody just pitched in.”
JaVale McGee, whose seven of eight shooting was facilitated by Paul’s passing mastery, said he continues to be amazed by the 36-year-old point guard.
“It’s amazing just seeing the concentration, the focus and just the brains he has and the vision he has,” McGee said. “He reads a play, and the defence will switch, and he’s always analysing. He’s listening to calls that other players are calling.”
Another one of the league’s top point guards played a significant role in victory yesterday.
Trae Young had struggled in the first two games of the playoffs but with Game 3 on the line and the season hanging in the balance, the Atlanta Hawks wanted the ball in his hands.
Young delivered, hitting a floater in the lane with 4.4 seconds left that gave the Hawks a 111-110 victory over top-seeded Miami after Atlanta overcame a 16-point deficit in the second half. The Hawks cut the Heat’s series lead to 2-1.
After being held to eight points in Miami’s Game 1 blowout and committing a career-worst 10 turnovers in Game 2, Young looked more like himself on his home court. He had 24 points despite another stout defensive effort by the Heat, and turned it over just three times.
The Heat are also dealing with an injury to point guard Kyle Lowry, who went out in the third quarter with a hamstring problem.
In yesterday’s other game, the Milwaukee Bucks delivered just the sort of performance they needed.
Grayson Allen made five threepointers and scored 22 points and the defending champions dominated the Chicago Bulls 111-81 to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series without the injured Khris Middleton.
Coming off two shaky showings in Milwaukee, the Bucks quieted a raucous crowd watching Chicago’s first playoff game at the United Centre for five years.