SpursFanSinceNovember2017
Superstar
Clippers' Slide Magnifies Chris Paul's Extraordinary Value
Most NBA fans and media realized Los Angeles Clippers star Chris Paul was having a terrific season. Through 36 games, he averaged 17.5 points, 9.7 assists, 2.2 steals and 40 percent three-point shooting.
But since he was sidelined with a thumb injury on January 16, we’ve gained a heightened appreciation for him. Even though L.A. has two other All-Star caliber players in Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, Paul is clearly the key catalyst. The Clippers are 2-6 since he left, and their short-term outlook is bleak.
Sunday’s 107-102 loss to the Boston Celtics showcased many of L.A.’s deficiencies without CP3. While Doc Rivers’ crew didn’t get blown out by his former team, it lacked consistency. The backcourt didn’t have enough offensive creativity or defensive juice to win on the road.
Paul’s value as a floor general is glaring, but his defensive role is almost more important. When he’s not out there to meet opposing facilitators at the point of attack, their defense is crippled. When Austin Rivers or Raymond Felton are the first lines of defense, it allows a chain reaction of catastrophe.
Celtics’ point guard Isaiah Thomas had a field day against L.A. because Chris Paul wasn’t around to steer him away and bother him. He was totally comfortable against the likes of Rivers, Felton and Jamal Crawford. Thomas got everywhere he wanted to on the floor and uncorked a deadly mix of scoring and passing. He finished with 28 points and eight assists, leading a Shamrocks attack that featured seven different players in double figures.
The big-picture stats illustrate Paul’s defensive value as well. When he was on the floor this season, the Clippers held opponents to a 101.8 offensive rating; when sidelined, the Clippers’ foes have feasted for a 114.2 offensive rating. Granted, some of that time was spent without Griffin or Jordan as well, but it’s still a striking difference.
Paul leads the NBA in steals per game (2.2) and steal percentage (3.6). He’s become masterful at forcing turnovers and disrupting ball-handlers without making egregious gambles or fouls. It’s unfair to expect the Clippers’ to even come close to replicating the havoc he causes for opponents.
On offense, the Clippers’ inconsistency without Paul is painful. His absence diminishes the strengths of every other player in the rotation, and the team lacks direction and rhythm.
They don’t just miss his creative drives, pull-up jumpers or precision passes. They miss the leadership and pre-play command that makes those plays possible.
Studs like Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and James Harden may have surpassed Paul when it comes to sheer slashing, shot-making and athletic passes. But CP3 is still the best player when it comes to controlling the tempo, placing everyone in the perfect spot and making well-timed plays.
When you watch Rivers and Felton attempt to run the offense, the difference is staggering. When plays break down, they don’t reset the offense like Paul or make measured step-back jumpers. Their improvisations are predictably worse than the nine-time All-Star. L.A. made a great comeback in the fourth quarter against Boston to make it a close game, but they dug too deep of a hole by mustering just 19 and 20 points in the opening quarters of each half.
The Clippers offense suffers in several key categories without Paul. Their assist percentage (net -6.5), turnover rate (+0.5) and effective field-goal percentage (-5.2) are all worse when he’s not directing traffic. It’s no wonder their offensive rating drops 9.1 points when he’s on the bench.
Griffin, Jordan, Crawford and J.J. Redikk all bring elite skills to the table. But the zenith of their powers is only unlocked when a versatile guard like Paul is orchestrating their two-way attack. They’re not adept at consistently generating their own offense. Rather, they thrive primarily by feeding off the movement Paul creates on a possession-by-possession basis.
That means the Clippers will likely continue to struggle until Paul’s early-March return. They’ve already dropped to fifth in the Western Conference standings, and they’re only 1.5 games ahead of the No. 7 slot.
Right now, it looks like their best-case scenario would be hanging onto the five seed and avoiding the Warriors/Spurs/Rockets until the second round. But if they wind up seventh, it means they’ll face one of those juggernauts right out of the gate.
I’m not entirely counting out a Clippers’ revival. Crawford is a microwave scorer, and Rivers and Felton could play some of the best ball of their careers. But given what we’ve seen in the last eight games without Paul, it’s almost impossible for L.A. to replace the impact of their floor general.
Most NBA fans and media realized Los Angeles Clippers star Chris Paul was having a terrific season. Through 36 games, he averaged 17.5 points, 9.7 assists, 2.2 steals and 40 percent three-point shooting.
But since he was sidelined with a thumb injury on January 16, we’ve gained a heightened appreciation for him. Even though L.A. has two other All-Star caliber players in Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, Paul is clearly the key catalyst. The Clippers are 2-6 since he left, and their short-term outlook is bleak.
Sunday’s 107-102 loss to the Boston Celtics showcased many of L.A.’s deficiencies without CP3. While Doc Rivers’ crew didn’t get blown out by his former team, it lacked consistency. The backcourt didn’t have enough offensive creativity or defensive juice to win on the road.
Paul’s value as a floor general is glaring, but his defensive role is almost more important. When he’s not out there to meet opposing facilitators at the point of attack, their defense is crippled. When Austin Rivers or Raymond Felton are the first lines of defense, it allows a chain reaction of catastrophe.
Celtics’ point guard Isaiah Thomas had a field day against L.A. because Chris Paul wasn’t around to steer him away and bother him. He was totally comfortable against the likes of Rivers, Felton and Jamal Crawford. Thomas got everywhere he wanted to on the floor and uncorked a deadly mix of scoring and passing. He finished with 28 points and eight assists, leading a Shamrocks attack that featured seven different players in double figures.
The big-picture stats illustrate Paul’s defensive value as well. When he was on the floor this season, the Clippers held opponents to a 101.8 offensive rating; when sidelined, the Clippers’ foes have feasted for a 114.2 offensive rating. Granted, some of that time was spent without Griffin or Jordan as well, but it’s still a striking difference.
Paul leads the NBA in steals per game (2.2) and steal percentage (3.6). He’s become masterful at forcing turnovers and disrupting ball-handlers without making egregious gambles or fouls. It’s unfair to expect the Clippers’ to even come close to replicating the havoc he causes for opponents.
On offense, the Clippers’ inconsistency without Paul is painful. His absence diminishes the strengths of every other player in the rotation, and the team lacks direction and rhythm.
They don’t just miss his creative drives, pull-up jumpers or precision passes. They miss the leadership and pre-play command that makes those plays possible.
Studs like Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and James Harden may have surpassed Paul when it comes to sheer slashing, shot-making and athletic passes. But CP3 is still the best player when it comes to controlling the tempo, placing everyone in the perfect spot and making well-timed plays.
When you watch Rivers and Felton attempt to run the offense, the difference is staggering. When plays break down, they don’t reset the offense like Paul or make measured step-back jumpers. Their improvisations are predictably worse than the nine-time All-Star. L.A. made a great comeback in the fourth quarter against Boston to make it a close game, but they dug too deep of a hole by mustering just 19 and 20 points in the opening quarters of each half.
The Clippers offense suffers in several key categories without Paul. Their assist percentage (net -6.5), turnover rate (+0.5) and effective field-goal percentage (-5.2) are all worse when he’s not directing traffic. It’s no wonder their offensive rating drops 9.1 points when he’s on the bench.
Griffin, Jordan, Crawford and J.J. Redikk all bring elite skills to the table. But the zenith of their powers is only unlocked when a versatile guard like Paul is orchestrating their two-way attack. They’re not adept at consistently generating their own offense. Rather, they thrive primarily by feeding off the movement Paul creates on a possession-by-possession basis.
That means the Clippers will likely continue to struggle until Paul’s early-March return. They’ve already dropped to fifth in the Western Conference standings, and they’re only 1.5 games ahead of the No. 7 slot.
Right now, it looks like their best-case scenario would be hanging onto the five seed and avoiding the Warriors/Spurs/Rockets until the second round. But if they wind up seventh, it means they’ll face one of those juggernauts right out of the gate.
I’m not entirely counting out a Clippers’ revival. Crawford is a microwave scorer, and Rivers and Felton could play some of the best ball of their careers. But given what we’ve seen in the last eight games without Paul, it’s almost impossible for L.A. to replace the impact of their floor general.
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