Chris Paul’s NBA Playoffs Record

Chris Paul, often referred to as CP3, is one of the most iconic NBA stars on the planet. The point guard, who represents the Phoenix Suns, has also turned out for the New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder. However, it's his current team where he delivered arguably his most remarkable performance of all time on the court.

Now, it’s fair to say that Paul, 35, has delivered some awe-inspiring performances over the years. But how many of those have been record-breaking? Well, against the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA playoffs, not only was he in imperious form, but he set a new record, which was also integral in the Suns running out 115-109 on the night and 4-2 victors in the series.

Chris Paul’s achievement was to shoot a perfect 14-for-14, which is a remarkable feat in itself and a new NBA playoffs record. However, there are other things worth pointing out that make Paul’s 14-for-14 even more impressive. For a start, this happened just over a week before his thirty-seventh birthday. And, let's not forget that Paul's career began seventeen years ago in a city that Hurricane Katrina had decimated.

It's been a stellar season on a personal front for Paul, who has been named as part of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team. The Suns are also the side with the best record in the NBA this season, and their success against the Suns sees them progress to the Western Conference semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks. The winner of the series will take on either the Memphis Grizzlies or the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference final.

Many people will suggest that if the Suns are to keep moving in the right direction, everything will hinge on Paul and his performances. Against the Pelicans, Paul's nineteen points haul during the fourth quarter of games one and three of the series single-handily carried his team to victory. And this was backed up by Suns coach Monty Williams, who suggested Paul's scoring, leadership and game management were challenging to comprehend.

Over the course of the season, Paul has averaged 14.7 points per game, with 4.4 rebounds. He’s also the league leader where assists are concerned, with 10.8 secured on average. And in addition to all that, Paul has 1.9 steals against and just 2.4 turnovers across a sixty-five game run. A closer look at CP3’s shooting shows he’s hit 49.3% from the field, with 31.7% classed as long-range.

At nearly thirty-seven years old, this could be Olympic gold medallist Paul’s last chance of success with the Suns, the team he joined in 2020 after leaving Oklahoma City Thunder. In a career spanning seventeen years, with many personal and team accolades in the cabinet, the final shot at glory could, unusually, all depend on how he performs. Without Paul, the Suns wouldn’t have made it to the semifinals. That much is for sure.