Nuggets coach Michael Malone speaks solemnly on Chris Paul after being blown out by the Suns in game-2 of the series.
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It may be just a tad bit early to say this, but this series could already be decided. And if that’s the case, frankly, a large chunk of the credit needs to go to Chris Paul.
In the two games that have been played, CP3 by far looked like the best player on the court. The veteran was controlling just about everything in the minutes that he got. And just a reminder, he’s doing this on a right shoulder that clearly isn’t at 100% right now.
In game-2 especially, the player just seemed to be picking his spots. It almost looked like he was facing absolutely no resistance from the opposition. And after watching his team getting blown out by 25 points, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone agreed completely with that notion in the postgame interview. Let’s get into it.
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“We’re not impacting Chris Paul in any way, shape or form”: Michael Malone
When you look at the box score, Chris Paul’s numbers, apart from his assists, don’t seem very impressive. The Point-God had 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 15 dimes throughout the game, and shot 60% from the field, and 100% from beyond the arc. However, what really puts his performance into perspective, is his plus/minus score.
CP3 was an incredible +26 in this game. That’s the second-best on the team, behind only Mikal Bridges, who was +28.
After the game, Michael Malone had a bleak expression on his face. And when he was asked about the Suns star, this is what he had to say.
“Chris Paul doesn’t see us, he doesn’t feel us, and we’re not impacting him in any way, shape or form.”
-Michael Malone
— Joel Rush (@JoelRushNBA) June 10, 2021
If you’re a Nuggets fan, this little comment is incredibly worrying. Not only has this series not gone in your favor at all, but even your head coach is confused as to what to do about the Suns’ best player.
Still, all is not lost. After all, only 2 games have been played so far.
The Nuggets still have a chance to stage a Clippers-esque comeback in this series. But, only time will tell if they can figure out the Suns enough to achieve it.