Chris Paul Is Readying Los Angeles Clippers For A Deep Playoff Run

On a night in which the NBA had DeMarcus Cousins, Russell Westbrook and Evan Turner earn triple-doubles. NBA fans were treated to a fantastic game between the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers. L.A. overcame a 19-point deficit to win on the road.

Chris Paul had a monster performance in the victory over Portland. CP3 had 41 points, 17 assists, 4 steals and 5 three-point makes in the Clippers victory. Paul was two points away from tying his career high. Sam Farber of the Beast 980 tweeted this:

Also according to ESPN Stats & Info:

Individually for Paul, it was great. This was especially inspiring for the Clippers overall. Paul was embarrassed by the Warriors’ Stephen Curry in their loss to Golden State Tuesday night. The 9-year pro was ridiculed on numerous memes stemming from a move he received from the baby-faced assassin. To add insult to injury, the Clippers gave up a 17-point lead in the defeat.

A hell of a response from the unequivocal leader of the team formerly known as “Lob City.” With six games remaining in the schedule, the Clippers needed a statement victory given their inconsistent play throughout the season. CP3 sent a clear message to his team to follow his lead into the playoffs.

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A playoff atmosphere coupled with a chippiness that ws needed to awaken the Clippers. Former Clipper Chris Kaman in frustration blatantly shoved Paul on the baseline. The 8-time All-Star immediately went after Kaman while his teammates followed suit. I absolutely loved this from Los Angeles, as they always seem to be the ones getting punked. Clearly, Chris Paul had enough.

Chris Paul is leading by example as he’s done throughout his illustrious career. He is rapidly becoming one of the greatest floor generals in the game. In his nine-year career, he is already 17th all-time in the assist category. For his career, he’s averaging 18.7 points and 9.9 assists. This season he is scoring 19 points per contest and dishing out ten dimes.

The camaraderie was apparent during the scuffle. Earlier in the season, reports surfaced that there was discord in the locker room. Jordan Farmar, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Reggie Bullock were traded away. I’m not saying they were the culprits but the togetherness was not there.

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Chemistry is a key component in a championship team. Austin Rivers, Dahntay Jones and Justin Hamilton were brought into the mix and the second unit has steadily improved. In addition, reigning sixth-man of the year Jamal Crawford is nearing a return.

Health will be a huge factor for the Clippers. Glen Davis, Spencer Hawes, Griffin and Crawford have suffered injuries this season. Crawford’s return will put Los Angeles at full strength, something haven’t had during post-season play. The Clips will be a force to reckoned with if they avoid further injury.

The Clippers need to enter the playoffs with a chip on their shoulders. They’ve been eliminated from the post-season in three consecutive seasons. They’ve been highly-rated since Paul was traded to Los Angeles and have not been close to reaching the promise land.

Blake Griffin througout his career has always been picked on. He takes so much punishment down on the block without any response. The Clippers around the league are seen as crybabies and soft. Even 4-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal trolled the Clippers during Comedy Central’s Roast of Justin Bieber. He told Paul, who was in attendance, about the Clippers, “You guys suck!”

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The mantra of the Clippers needs to change starting right now. Los Angeles should “Be Relentless” like the slogan they unveiled this season. No more excuses. L.A. should be the ones dishing out the pain in the playoffs. They should be the tone-setters. They need to display that fire that Paul showed when he was shoved by Kaman and his response after his ankles were broken by Steph Curry. This incident may propel the Clippers to go farther into June. Their attitude needs to change as their championship window is closing.

Wednesday’s win over Portland could also be a preview of L.A.’s first round matchup. The Clippers are currently sitting as the fifth seed and Portland is the fourth seeded team in the Western Conference. Los Angeles took the season series 3-1. The Clips boast defensive player of the year candidate DeAndre Jordan, a healthy Blake Griffin and a fired-up Chris Paul. It boggles my mind how CP3 is not in the MVP conversation.

Perhaps I’m looking too far into the Clippers-Blazers tussle, but one thing is clear to me. This isn’t the same Clipper team. They are 8-2 in their last ten games. They should have beaten the Warriors, which would have put them at 9-1. The 6-foot point guard is readying his troops for a deep playoff run. If they fail to make the NBA finals this season, we may have to start asking the question– Will Chris Paul ever win a championship?