Phoenix Suns – Chris Paul NBA Finals Grade: A
Paul led all scorers during Game 1 with 32 points, shooting at an incredibly efficient 12-19 clip. He especially turned things up during the third quarter, where he added 16 points to help establish a lead for the Suns which they never surrendered. Attacking the record books as well, Paul ended up scoring or assisting on 54 points for the Suns during their first bout with Milwaukee, the third highest mark ever by a player making his Finals debut.
During Game 2, Paul scored 23 points and dished out eight assists, often leaving his defenders scratching their heads as he repeatedly soared away from them to hit fade-away looks.
But aside from his offensive mindfulness and general scoring capabilities, Paul’s improved 3-point shooting has brought his game to another level on this grandest stage. Paul has never made seven triples during a two-game span all season this year—that is until now, with him going 7-12 from deep between Games 1 and 2.
The only thing keeping CP3 from earning an A+ grade deals with his ball security, something he typically excels with. During Game 2, Paul turned the ball over six times, tying a season-high for him. It ended up mattering very little, but remains something for him to work on going forward.