Was Chris Paul the Real MVP?
- Hunter Patterson
- Jun 30, 2021
- 3 min read
Is Chris Paul proving he had a legitimate case for MVP?
At the conclusion of the 2019-20 NBA season, the Phoenix Suns and Chris Paul had one thing in common – each exceeded expectations and proved they could compete with anyone in the league. Despite an undefeated run in the NBA Bubble, the Phoenix Suns finished their season with a 34-39 record, just missing the playoffs. Those within the organization were optimistic about their future.
After their final win of the season, head coach Monty Williams said, “This is special, I want you guys to know that. Don’t let anybody take that away from you. You gained respect from the league.”
The Suns’ playoff aspirations only intensified when they pulled off a block-buster trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder for Chris Paul. He was coming off an overachieving season with the Thunder. Before the 2019-20 season kicked off, ESPN’s experts gave OKC a 0.2% chance of a playoff berth.
In typical Chris Paul fashion, he elevated the play of his teammates and led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a nail-biting game seven in the first-round against the Houston Rockets – coming up just short. He earned the respect of the Thunder and was off to begin his journey in Phoenix.
Suns star Devin Booker wasted no time getting in the gym and building chemistry with his newest teammate. The two were spotted working out together in Phoenix just days after the trade had been reported. Their connection led the Suns to a 5-1 start, sparking nationwide conversation about Paul’s leadership and impact. Each team he’s has played for, he’s provided an immediate boost to their win percentage.
Things only continued to heat up in Phoenix as the season carried on. The Suns won 11 of 12 down the stretch, en route to a 51-21 record – notching their first playoff berth in 11 years. In a nine month span, the Suns turned their disappointment from missing the playoffs into the second best record in the NBA, avoiding the play-in tournament.
Paul’s name was thrown around in the MVP conversation quite a bit towards the end of the season. The front-runners for the league’s most prestigious individual award were: Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Stephen Curry.
While Paul wasn’t getting as much attention as the aforementioned names, his value to his team was undeniable. He’s alleviated the playmaking duties that once fell on Booker and has given DeAndre Ayton years of knowledge on how to properly execute and defend pick and rolls. Even Mikal Bridges attributes some of his newfound success to Paul’s guidance.
Nikola Jokic was named the 2020-21 Most Valuable Player, winning in dominant fashion – receiving 91 first-place votes, and for good reason. The Denver Nuggets began their season on a more frustrating note than the Suns. Through the first five games, the Nuggets only won once. Although the wins weren’t coming at a premium early on, Jokic averaged career highs in points (26.4), assists (8.3) and free throw percentage (87%), eventually leading his team to a 47-25 record.
Paul was as classy as ever and gave Jokic nothing but credit, after of course beating the Nuggets by 25 points and taking a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Semifinals. Although Paul came in fifth in MVP voting, he took it upon himself to go for 17 points, 15 assists and no turnovers in the win. He has the most 15 point, 15 assist and no turnovers games in league history – doing it three times throughout his career.
With Paul averaging 19 points and 13 assists per game with just one turnover in the series thus far, he’s making a case worth listening to for why he could have been crowned MVP. His tenacity, IQ and love for the game has turned the Suns into a legitimate title contender.
Paul is widely regarded as the best leader in the NBA, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said so himself. If all these feats weren’t impressive enough, Paul has been playing at this elite level while managing a grueling shoulder injury.
If we learned anything about Denver last year, it’s that they never quit. Jamal Murray mentioned their team plays best with their backs against the wall. That will of course be more difficult since Murray is sidelined for the season with a severely torn ACL.
Nonetheless, the Nuggets earned the nickname “comeback kings” for a reason. They came back from being down 3-1 twice in the 2019-20 playoffs. With the addition of Aaron Gordon this season, Jokic and the Nuggets are poised to do their best to come back from this 0-2 hole they find themselves in currently.
Paul is two wins away from the biggest stage of his career. With Jokic already winning MVP, Paul might have his sights set on Finals MVP.
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