Chris paul stats 2021 average7/24/2023 ![]() He’s more than capable, he’s more than ready. Obviously this is his first time at this level, at this stage, but he’s capable. I don’t understand how everyone is acting surprised at this point. “I mean, I expect it,” Jae Crowder said of Book’s performance. He’s logging a ridiculous 40.3 minutes per game, with a plus-8.5 point differential, and in a critical Game 1 at home without the team’s third/fourth-quarter king, Book reminded the world he’s more than capable of taking over with a 40-point triple-double in the biggest game of his career. Through 11 playoff games, the 24-year-old superstar is averaging 29.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game on. “But at the same time, he would be the first to tell you it’s one game, and we have a lot of work to do against a really good team.”Ĥ0-point triple-double in the playoffs before turning 25: “That’s who Book is, he’s been waiting for this moment, these moments, for a long, long time,” Williams said. And while CP3’s dominance was the story in the second-round sweep of the Denver Nuggets, Booker has been a consistent killer in his first trip to the postseason … like in Game 1, when he scored or assisted on 43 of the Suns’ final 50 points. In the first round, Book finally broke his longstanding record of six made 3-pointers in a game with eight in a 47-point closeout game against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. He's the 5th player over the last 60 seasons to record his 1st career triple-double in the Conf Finals or later, joining Hall of Famer's James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry Lucas and Bill Russell It was the 12th 40-point triple-double in NBA playoff history, the second in franchise history (joining Charles Barkley) and he became the fourth player with a 40-point triple-double in conference finals history.ĭevin Booker recorded his first career triple-double Sunday. ![]() Devin Booker and the Suns’ youngsters were superb in Game 1įinishing with a game-high 40 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists and only 2 turnovers on 15-of-29 shooting, Booker picked one hell of a time to record the first triple-double of his career. In Sunday’s Game 1 against the Clippers, without their floor general, Devin Booker and the Suns reminded everyone what they’re made of in a 120-114 win. Paul himself has said that the culture was already in place before he showed up, and that he wanted to go to Phoenix because he wanted to play with Devin Booker. Lazy MVP cases for CP3 revolved around the most basic math: Phoenix only won 34 games last year but suddenly launched to 51 wins in a 72-game season with the addition of Paul.Īdding one of the greatest floor generals in NBA history obviously served as the catalyst, but this is the same young core that ripped off that 8-0 bubble run before CP3 arrived. While it was easy to hold up Paul as Phoenix’s MVP candidate because of his influence on this group and how easy he’s made the game for Booker, those arguments typically ignored the growth of Booker, Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton and Cameron Johnson, the team’s under-25 core of the future. “And I just saw his will - Devin Booker’s will - tonight.” “I just thought he managed the game well knowing that Chris wasn’t on the floor,” head coach Monty Williams said of Booker after Game 1. Not having his poise, mid-range prolificacy, leadership and communication on the court would be relatively newfound territory for a young Phoenix team, and it was coming on the biggest stage yet.įortunately, Devin Booker and the rest of the Suns youngsters reminded people of what they’ve been doing this all season. Even when he suffered a shoulder stinger in the first round, Paul played through it. Leonard is the better individual player, but the Clippers managed to win their last two games of their last series against the top-seeded Utah Jazz without the Klaw the Suns, meanwhile, had only played without CP3 for two games all season. Yet the advantage of those absences seemed to slightly lean in LA’s favor. The LA Clippers would be missing Kawhi Leonard for at least the first two games, while the Phoenix Suns would be without Chris Paul for at least Game 1 after he tested positive for COVID-19. ![]() Heading into the 2021 Western Conference Finals, it was fair to question which team would have the edge. Without Chris Paul in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Devin Booker and the young Phoenix Suns did what they’ve been doing all season long.
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