Chris Paul (#3) of the Phoenix Suns celebrates in Game 6 of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 30, 2021. /CFP
The Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 130-103 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Staples Center on Wednesday, closing out the series 4-2 and making the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993.
Back then, the team's head coach was Paul Westphal working with Kevin Johnson, Danny Ainge and Charlies Barkley. Some of today's Suns' key players like Devin Booker (24 years old), Deandre Ayton (22 years old) or Mikal Bridges (24 years old) were not born yet.
But Chris Paul was. He was eight years old in 1993. After another 12 years, Paul entered the NBA, drafted by the New Orleans Hornets (today's New Orleans Pelicans) with the No. 4 pick.
Chris Paul (C) of the Phoenix Suns lifts the Western Conference Championship trophy after the 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA Western Conference Finals at Staples Center, June 30, 2021. /CFP
Paul had a very twisted career in the following 16 years. On one hand, he has been seen as one of the best point guards in history. However, he was always haunted by misfortune. Injuries always caught him or his best teammates at the clutch moment. That's partly why Paul only reached the (Western) Conference Finals once despite his consistent, remarkable performance in his career.
Then on Wednesday night, Paul led the Suns to face the Clippers on the road with a 3-2 lead. All they needed was a win to make the Finals.
(L-R) Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns look on in Game 6 of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center, June 30, 2021. /CFP
The Suns were better-prepared in Game 6 after being caught off guard in Game 5 at home. They drained 10 triples at 62.5 percent. The whole team tried to assist Ayton to score – the more fun big men enjoy on offense, the more passionate they become for other things. Ayton had 10 points and seven rebounds in the first half. He had a double-double of 16 points and 17 rebounds for the whole game while grabbing five offensive rebounds and delivering two blocks.
Paul got 10 points and four assists in the first half, which was great, but not astonishing.
Clippers counterstrike happened as they always did in the third quarter. Paul George, who seemed to be holding on to his last breath in the first half, invested all of the energy he had left in offense in Q3 and to draw five fouls, earn nine free throws and make eight of them to get 10 points this quarter. Marcus Morris continued his hot shooting as well going 3-6 to score eight points.
Chris Paul (#3) and Jae Crowder (#99) of the Phoenix Suns celebrate in Game 6 of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center, June 30, 2021. /CFP
After Nicolas Batum buried a corner three, the Clippers cut the deficit to seven (89-82) when there were 1:43 left.
Then Paul took over. He made three straight jumpers, two from beyond, to get eight points to make sure that the Suns entered Q4 with a double-digit lead (97-83). But it was not over, Suns head coach Monty Williams decided to maintain Paul, Booker and Ayton on the floor when Q4 began. The message was clear: They did not want to leave the Clippers any chance. This series must end at Staples Center on Wednesday.
Paul continued to dominate the game. First he beat the defense of George and made a layup. Then Paul drained another two jumpers to extend the Suns' lead to 20 points (105-85). Batum and George claimed five points but Paul was unstoppable as he finished a 3+1 play, a triple and a jumper while assisting Booker and Ayton for two layups.
Chris Paul (#3) of the Phoenix Suns drives toward the rim in Game 6 of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center, June 30, 2021. /CFP
The CP3 storm turned the score 118-92 in less than three minutes. The game was basically a one conclusion by then. Paul destroyed the last will of the Clippers' players to fight. When Patrick Beverley pushed him hard from behind during the following timeout, Beverley showed no toughness or aggressiveness but total frustration and anger.
Having drained his seventh triple at 2:21 to put down his 41st point, Paul stepped off the court, enjoying the victory he had been waiting for way too long.
Paul was 16-24 on the field and 7-8 from downtown on Wednesday night to drop 41 points, which matched his postseason career high. Having played 1090 regular season games and 122 playoff games, Paul always put orchestrating first. He was four-time NBA assists leader and averaged double-digit assists in six seasons. By contrast, he only had two 20+ points seasons.
Chris Paul (#3) of the Phoenix Suns shoots in Game 6 of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center, June 30, 2021. /CFP
Before Wednesday's game, Paul went 2-16 from the arc in this series and 10-34 in the playoffs. Aging, injuries – he had an MRI on his wrist one day earlier – and COVID-19 infection all affected his touch.
But Paul refused to let anything hold him back, especially when he was about to make another breakthrough of his career. "It's sounds d**n good, d**n good. It's been a lot of work going to a new team and everyone staying the course. That team fights hard. D**n this feels good," said Paul after the game.
When you went through everything like Paul did before reaching a new milestone, of course it feels so good.