OKC Thunder vets key winning effort over Mavericks: 3 takeaways

Chris Paul – the leader, the Point God – Mr. Clutch:

It’s a joy to watch Chris Paul and those are words this narrator never thought would be said about the veteran point guard especially given my distaste for the Clippers back in the Lob City days. He’s proving why he earned so many All-NBA nods, All-Star appearances, and recognition by many as the best point guard of the past decade.

For the majority of the game, Chris Paul’s shot simply wasn’t falling both from the perimeter and his money area — the mid-range. As the game progressed CP3 was content to play make as Danilo Gallinari, Nerlens Noel, and Dennis Schroder got hot.

Through three and half quarters Paul had shot 2 of 9 (22.2 percent) from the field for four points. But, with 4:31 remaining and the Mavericks up six the Point God flipped a switch. In essence, to assume Chris Paul doesn’t know time and place is to underestimate the master at work.

Although the team is extremely unselfish and will go with whoever is hot in the moment, having a player of Paul’s ilk is a bonus. He offers the intangible “it” factor and versus the best teams even if he’s not taking over as the primary shot taker his imprint on the crew on the floor is palpable.

From the 4:31 point of the final frame, Paul scored 13 of his 17 points shooting 5 of 6 and hitting both free throws. Everything before that point in the game didn’t matter because with the game in the balance he took over and showed his value strapping the team to his back and delivering one fo the most satisfying wins of the season.

Paul’s nickname is the Point God, but perhaps it’s time to consider adding the moniker “Mr. Clutch” to the mix given his clutch time prowess.