Chris Paul Leads Suns Past First Round With Perfect Shooting Night
Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns are advancing to round two of the playoffs after the Point God put together a perfect shooting night to help lead Phoenix to a 115-109 win over the Pelicans.
Paul scored 33 points on 14-14 shooting from the field, went 4-4 from the free-throw line, and sank his one and only attempt from beyond the arc. He also hauled in five rebounds and dished out eight assists. The 12-time All-Star became the first player in playoff history to make all 14 of his shots as he led the Suns back from a double-digit deficit.
“It’s unbelievably special; you have no idea how special it is for me,” said Paul, per ESPN. “I had no clue (hadn’t missed). At halftime, I realized I might need to shoot a little bit more.”
That man hasn’t missed yet. Sheesh. (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/iYKMMiL3SJ
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 29, 2022
CP3 scored his 33 points on seven different defenders, asserting his will on the Pelicans’ defense with his signature midrange jumper. Paul made 11 shots outside the paint, none more important than his 10-foot pull-up with 28 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give Phoenix a five-point lead.
With Deandre Ayton as his pick-and-roll partner, Paul and the Suns erased a 10-point deficit in the third quarter after knocking down 13 of their first 14 shots. Paul hit six jumpers while Ayton (22 points, seven rebounds, and four assists) made two.
“I don’t believe in heat checks, I don’t shoot enough to take a heat check, and once I miss, I might be cold,” Paul said. “They were sort of letting me get to my spots.”
According to Elias Sports Bureau, Paul and Ayton shot a combined 24-26 from the field, the highest combined field goal percentage (92.3 percent) by a pair of teammates in a playoff game in the shot-clock era.
The Suns and Dallas Mavericks are set for a second-round showdown that begins on May 2 in Footprint Center.
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