Narratives are what drive public perception in sports. The strongest narrative in sports is that Michael Jordan is the best NBA player ever. There are more such as the one implying Chris Paul falters in the playoffs. However, it now proves to be false.
Paul put on a career performance in Game 5 of the western conference semifinals. He put up 41 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds with no turnovers. He did it on 59 percent shooting from the field and 80 percent from three.
20 of his 41 came in the fourth quarter. When the Houston Rockets needed it the most. His costar James Harden was struggling for most of Game 5.
Harden had 18 points on 31.8 percent shooting from the field and was 1 of 7 from three-point range. Not to mention that he only had four assists to three turnovers.
Paul is the reason the Rockets got more days to rest before their matchup with the Golden State Warriors. However, this is not a first for Paul.
He has always shown up in the playoffs when his teams have needed him the most. His play normally elevates in the playoffs in comparison to his regular season numbers.
During the regular seasons where Paul made the playoffs. He averages 19.1 points, 10 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 turnovers per game. While shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from three-point range.
In the post season his numbers grow to 21.5 points, 9.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 turnovers per game. His shooting improves to 48.5 percent from the field and 38 percent from three.
The narrative that defines most of Paul’s career is only truly accurate for one postseason occasion. When the Los Angeles Clippers blew a 3-1 lead to the Rockets on his watch.
That is the biggest black mark on Paul’s career. Particularly because they were one of the heavy favorites to come out of the western conference that year.
However, he was the best Clipper on the floor in their three consecutive losses to the Rockets.
In those losses Paul averaged 26.3 points, 10.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 turnovers. He shot 50.9 percent from the field, 35 percent from three and 94.7 percent from the line.
Paul was the go-to scorer in crunch time moments despite being a pass-first point guard and facilitator. A set of circumstances that would never yield the Clippers consistent success which is more of a referendum against his former teammate Blake Griffin.
It is not a fact of praise that Paul has yet to play in a western conference finals until this year. Despite his impressive solo feats, his team success has been lacking.
A lot of factors such as surrounding talent have a lot to do with that. Nonetheless Paul was still a constant on those Clippers teams that could not break through.
This year will mark his first ever western conference finals appearance. A moment that could permanently break the current stigma surrounding his playoff identity, or further strengthen it.
Paul must play well in this western conference finals in order to truly prove most of the doubters wrong. While winning is obviously the primary goal, losing to the Warriors who are favored to win the series is understandable.
The Rockets just cannot lose and Paul be one of the main reasons for them losing. It would be a darker black mark that would be tough to erase without a championship.
Brendan Abban is the owner and creator of brendanabban.com and hosts the KBR Sports podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BAbban24 or email him via [email protected].
