Amid all of his career achievements, Chris Paul has never played in a conference finals game. That will change next Monday when the Houston Rockets host the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. To get to this point, Chris Paul had to lead the Houston Rockets past a gritty Utah Jazz team, putting up 41 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists in Tuesday's 112-102 series clinching win. When watching the game, it was clear that Chris Paul was determined to not let his team down, hitting several clutch shots in a row to put the Jazz away in the fourth quarter.
What's most impressive about Chris Paul is the fire and passion that he plays with every night. Listed at 6'0", 170 pounds, Paul has been undersized his whole career, but that hasn't stopped him from being the best point guard in the NBA since John Stockton. He has a tremendous feel for the game and always looks to make the right play. Like Stockton, Paul excels at setting up his teammates but also knows when to score and take over a game.
Whether or not Paul can guide the Rockets past the Golden State Warriors remains to be seen, but regardless, he deserves a ton of credit for accomplishing what he has this season. For those that have followed his career closely, seeing Paul excel like this in the playoffs is nothing new. He's always been a clutch performer. It's just that he's never had the pieces around him to get over the hump. Now that he has better pieces in Houston, he's proving himself to be a legitimate franchise player and one who can do big things in the playoffs.
While I am from the Bay Area, a part of me is rooting for Chris Paul to lead the Rockets all the way. I not only like the way he plays, I like the way he conducts himself. Throughout the duration of his career, Paul has been a class act and has always conducted himself in a professional manner. He hasn't complained about his short comings, but instead brings his hard hat to work and vows to get better with each season. It's easy to root for guys like that.
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