NBA Playoff 2017: Three Observations And Three Overreactions
By Chris Wooden
Overreaction: Chris Paul Can’t Win in the Playoffs!
The saying goes that Chris Paul doesn’t win in the playoffs. While his teams’ playoff records might seem to back that up, those losses have not come because of Chris Paul’s play but rather in spite of Chris Paul’s play.
In Saturday’s 97-95 buzzer-beater loss to the Utah Jazz, all Paul did was put up 25 points, seven rebounds, 11 assists, and three steals against only one turnover. This man rarely makes mistakes, and that’s usually enough to win.
Unfortunately, the Clippers faced a Jazz team that on paper seemed evenly matched and Game 1 played out accordingly. The Jazz were able to survive the injury loss of their best player, center Rudy Gobert, because of a turn-back-the-clock performance from Joe Johnson.
And while it was fun to see ISO-Joe remind the young fans what he was capable of with the buzzer-beater to win the game, if the Jazz are relying on more of the same from Johnson moving forward they might as well throw in the towel.
Truth is, even if Gobert had remained healthy throughout this series, Chris Paul’s court mastery was probably always going to be enough to win in 7. Luc Mbah A Moute should be an All-Defense first teamer this year, and he shut Gordon Hayward down on Saturday. That should continue moving forward, as should the typical Chris Paul double-double.
If they can get more efficient shooting from Blake Griffin, this series should be over by Game 6. It might be over by then even if Griffin replicates his Game 1 performance moving forward. That’s what giving Chris Paul the best supporting cast of his career (albeit one that under-performed in Game 1) does.