Chris Paul proved why he deserves the moniker "Point God" with his superb performance in Game 6 of the first round of the NBA playoffs, as he led the Phoenix Suns in beating the New Orleans Pelicans Thursday evening in Louisiana.
The Suns advance to the second round of the playoffs, while the Pelicans are sent to the offseason as a result of their loss, 115-109.
Chris Paul had a terrific game, scoring 33 points and dishing out eight assists on a flawless 14/14 (100%) shooting performance.
Devin Booker had a rough night in his first game back after suffering a hamstring strain in Game 2. Nevertheless, Paul's effort made up for it. In 32 minutes, the All-Star had 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting, five rebounds, and three assists, according to Yahoo! Sports.
Meanwhile, the reigning Western Conference champion Suns achieved their best shooting percentage in a playoff game (60%) since 2006.
An Emotional Night For Paul
The series win was a special one for Paul as he spent the first six years of his spectacular career in New Orleans, where he was picked fourth overall by the organization (then the Hornets) in 2005 and played his fifth season under present Pelicans head coach Willie Green, per CNN.
Fast Break reported that in a post-game interview on NBA on TNT, the future Basketball Hall of Famer said that he gets emotional every game in New Orleans.
"Willie being my brother, somebody I talk to about everything, us not talking this whole series, seeing his son sitting on the baseline," Paul said."It's a good win for us, there's a reason why he's the coach here."
The Suns' court general said that he always roots for New Orleans when he's not playing against them; that was why "to beat them was nice to get through the first round."
"I always say this city raised me, man. It's tough, this is emotional for me."
"I always say this city raised me."@CP3 spoke with @ALaForce after a series-clinching win in New Orleans. pic.twitter.com/ETluU0Uraa
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 29, 2022
A Promising Future For The Pelicans
For the Pelicans, Brandon Ingram scored a team-high 21 to go along with 11 assists and five rebounds, with CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas both adding 16. Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans with 21 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds, while CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas both had 16 points.
Despite the season-ending loss, their strong playoff performance highlighted New Orleans' promising talent. The club began the season with some proven talent, such as Brandon Ingram, but everyone wondered if Zion Williamson could stay healthy. Williamson missed the entire season due to a foot fracture, and In three years in the NBA, he has appeared in 85 games.
CHRIS PAUL'S 14TH CONSECUTIVE MAKE PUTS THE @SUNS UP 5 ON TNT 🚨 pic.twitter.com/WK1iBbv7FL
— NBA (@NBA) April 29, 2022
On a more positive note, if Williamson stays in New Orleans, the Pelicans have found and acquired plenty of talent to compliment him. Herb Jones, a second-round choice, already appears to be a superb defender in the NBA. Trey Murphy, a first-round pick, and Jose Alvarado, an undrafted rookie, both seem to be great discoveries.
In other news, the Dallas Mavericks advanced to the Western Conference second round after winning Game 6 of their series against the Utah Jazz 98-96 in Salt Lake City. And they will face the Suns in a best-of-seven series, per the NBA website's report.
According to current reports, neither Dallas nor Phoenix have any injuries on their rosters, making this series a must-see intense showdown.
