There were lapses in judgement from the veteran guard, aiding the Bucks in maintaining a lead at the end of the first half. [17] From CamJ to Payne to Shamet to McGee to Biyombo to Stix to Craig, the Suns have filled holes with backups who knew exactly how to perform in their role as a starter with the big boys. Unfortunately for Phoenix, it was a few moments after the buzzer. Legal Statement. Data Provided By In Pauls absence, the Suns have surprisingly improved a bit on offense, shooting lights-out all over the floor. Nov 12 @ MEM, PHO (8-3) beat MEM, 119-94, 12. 2021-22 Panini Prizm Chris Paul NBA Prizm 75th anniversary Prizm BLUE SSP Suns. 6:33 pm ET. Without Paul, the Suns should struggle to score efficiently and effectively. Nov 24 @ CLE, PHO (15-3) beat CLE, 120-115, 19. At 6-foot. Then you throw in the Chris Paul pick-and-roll piece with Ayton, the way hes grown. Dec 21 @ LAL, PHO (25-5) beat LAL, 108-90, 32. I told the guys that you have to relish it.". It's one of the few things that's gone wrong for the Suns so far this season, who have rolled through much of their schedule. The groups elder statesman, CP3, has never been in a better position (on paper) to win an NBA title. He was able to add to his score total with nine free throw attempts during the contest. From that standpoint you can use your imagination, just from a scoring standpoint. Like Durants revious stops in Seattle, Oklahoma City, Golden State and Brooklyn, the expectations are high and there is a different level of excitement with his arrival. Required fields are marked *. He missed a foul line jumper on his team's first possession, but scored his first basket with the Suns a few moments later on a driving left-handed layup. They made the NBA Finals in 2021 and had a 64-18 record during the 2022 regular season. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Kevin Durant made his Phoenix Suns debut Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets. Hes been trying to visualize where he fits into the Suns system and how he can have the biggest impact while learning the teams plays. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. 14 seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 19-43. 114.8 (5th of 30) Feb. 16, 2022, in Phoenix. His post 2022-23 future in Phoenix is uncertain. Something went wrong. Lo and behold, the Suns are doing pretty well without Paul, after all. Who was Mar 23 @ MIN, PHO (59-14) beat MIN, 125-116, 74. Chris Paul collected 21 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds as the Phoenix Suns held on to beat the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 134-124 on Friday night for their ninth consecutive win. Ultimately, that means this contract will allow the Suns to have their cake and eat it too. The Ann Arbor Arrest All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Suns can win easy games without the Point God. Before your kiddo heads to the next Phoenix Paul finished the outing with 18 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Feb 12, PHO (46-10) beat ORL, 132-105, 58. Especially as a point guard. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. We believe that without LaMelo Ball, the Charlotte Hornets cannot be an equal competitor to the Phoenix Suns. at Its a quick turnaround and everything happened so fast. Suns 7-foot-1 center JaVale McGee hung on the rim a few times to bend it back in place. Phoenix sports a top-five defense this season, ranking fifth-best in the league with 111.3 points allowed per game. Yes, Paul is one of the best to ever play the position, but hes not a god. While he didnt give himself the nickname, there are at least a few point guards who deserve that moniker over Paul. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Jazz-Suns Pick Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns will miss the next 6-8 weeks due to a thumb injury. Chris Paul gets emotional after Game 6 as all of the memories he made in New Orleans come rushing back. Sports News Without Fear, Favor or Compromise. Thats even with their two leading Paul-less scorers Devin Booker (27.9 ppg) and Cameron Johnson (23.4) missing at least four of those 12. The Suns have more games behind them compared to what lies ahead. The schedule gets much more difficult now, with 6 of the next 7 games coming against winning teams (Bulls, @Wolves, @Nuggets, Sixers, @Warriors, @Grizzlies) all by April 1 before closing out the season with only one winning team in their last five. JAY-Z RC CEO DEF JAM RECORDS 2005-06 TOPPS BASKETBALL CARD NO. March 1, 2023, at 2:43 p.m. Durant Eager for Suns Debut Vs. Hornets After Knee Injury. The seven-footer is a certified lob-catcher that can also make wonders happen from mid-range and post-ups. After a Houston turnover, Booker airballed a 3-pointer, but Bridges corralled the offensive rebound and made a layup for a 118-114 advantage. When it comes down to credentials and accomplishments, Curry gets the nod over the so-called point god. Oct 27, PHO (1-3) lost to SAC, 107-110, 9. Biden has threatened to veto the bill, which would repeal an investment policy that took effect earlier this year that Republicans call woke capitalism., Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson). Paul is no longer the best player on his team, but he could be the most important component in the Suns making a deep run this postseason. At that point, the Suns will firmly be in the tax, so delaying the repeater tax clock by an extra year could save the Suns a fair bit of money. Orr a few seconds later, which earned the second technical. 255. It certainly puts them in the conversation.. Today, against the Sacramento Kings, he put up 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists before fouling out. Last year was against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, who took a 2-1 series lead before the Suns won the final three games. Phoenix had a fantastic team in place even without Durant. City Booker hasnt been the same efficient scorer he was prior to his groin injury. Explore NBA odds for 2022-23 Who had the most wins as a favorite last season? Ben Stinar. Join our linker program. As Smith said, now is the time for Chris Paul to win the NBA Finals. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives against Houston Rockets guard Dennis Schroder during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, in Phoenix. Thomas middle name is actually Lord, so hes got Paul on a technicality. Feb 10, PHO (45-10) beat MIL, 131-107, 56. Read More Phoenix Suns Kevin Durant, middle, talks with teammate Chris Paul during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks The Rockets fell to 15-42 and have lost six straight. You cant guard him one-on-one. He made his 11th All-Star team in the process, and his stellar performances in Game 4 against the Nuggets and Game 6 against the Clippers helped the Suns close out two of their playoffs series wins. Your email address will not be published. Jan 20 @ DAL, PHO (35-9) beat DAL, 109-101, 47. While hes able to get the end result points-wise, his consistency has fallen quite a bit. Chris Paul is the first player in NBA HISTORY to make 13+ shots in a Playoff game without a miss. The Suns fulfilled that without Paul. Championship +1500, Over-Under Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. 35, was greeted by Yes, Paul is one of the best to ever play the position, but hes not a god.. But of the players comprising the Suns new Big 3 + 1, no one is under more pressure to deliver a championship than Mr. Point God himself. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. You would expect a series like this later on in the playoffs. Despite turning 36 during the season, Paul still managed to earn Second-Team All-NBA honors. Booker [] NBA Free Agency Could Phoenix Suns Sign Goran Dragic After Chris Pauls Injury? I don't think on any team I've been on coach or player I've ever won this many games. In addition, the guests with Kevin Durant will be significantly stronger and more potent offensively, so we expect their easy and convincing victory. All rights reserved. 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But there will be no room for excuses once Durant is back and healthy, along with Paul, Booker, and Ayton. They are 8-4 in 12 games without Paul, and a quick glance at the numbers tell us the drop-off They are 8-4 in 12 games without Paul, and a quick glance at the numbers tell us the drop-off has been surprisingly slim. The only positive memories we have with any of these players in Suns uniforms pre-Paul are: Could either of those stretches accurately predict a two-MONTH run without the Point God? Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas are the first two that come to mind for most long-time NBA followers. The Suns sport a 31-28-3 ATS record this season as opposed to the 27-33-3 mark of the Hornets. Point God returns to The Valley pic.twitter.com/O3BfXUtoCr, After agreeing to the deal earlier this week, Paul said simply, "It's time to get back to work." I even wrote about it! Mar 30 @ GSW, PHO (62-14) beat GSW, 107-103, 77. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) Share But nobody called Thomas the Point Lord during his days in the association.
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