Chris Paul played angry last night. Well, angrier than usual for what is still a tune-up for the 2014-15 regular season. With many predicting the Clippers as a title contender, their 1-5 preseason record heading into last night’s game against the Suns did not bode well for their championship aspirations. So Paul, along with fellow all-star, Blake Griffin, decided to treat their second-to-last preseason contest like they had something to prove.
Paul was magnificent, and you know he wanted to make sure former Clippers backup Eric Bledsoe and his new five-year, $70 million deal didn’t forget the past. The whirling dervish out of Wake Forest started the game going 4-for-4 from behind the three-point arc in the first quarter by continually making Bledsoe pay for going under the high screen.
He also found time to get into the lane, like he did here in the second half by crossing up Bledsoe before freezing a helping Goran Dragic with the nifty fake pass on his way to the layup.
CP3 and Blake combined for 69 points total, with Paul dropping 34 on 12-for-18 shooting in a regular season dose of minutes (37). He also dished nine dimes, and swiped four steals in LA’s 108-105 win.
Paul’s enthusiastic play was a message to his teammates that playtime is over, and they have to get locked in for the start of the 2014-15 season. It’s less than a week away, and we can’t wait!
Are the Clippers really title contenders after this preseason?
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