67RIEFNS No. 24: Chris Paul, NBA’s most underrated point guard
Oct 21, 2014, 12:05 AM EDT
Denver Nuggets v Los Angeles Clippers The NBA is full of talent, personality and suspense. During the offseason, It’s easy to forget how wonderful the league can be. So, I’ve assembled 67 Reasons I’m Excited For Next Season (67RIEFNS). They’ll be presented in no particular order.
Who’s the best point guard in the NBA?
Every time that question gets asked, it’s an insult to Chris Paul.
I never understood the Paul-Deron Williams debate other than they went back-to-back in the draft. Now that Williams has fallen off, other point guards don’t make as much noise. The most intriguing challengers – Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose – haven’t stayed healthy enough to seriously threaten Paul’s reign. Stephen Curry is an intriguing contender, but defense works soundly against him. Tony Parker deserves credit for his four championships, but those have as much to due with being at the right place at the right time as Parker’s own skills, and his other attributes don’t hold up to Paul’s. Maybe Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving or John Wall could get there some day, but they’re not close now.
Paul is the best point guard since Magic Johnson.
The Clipper controls the game offensively as a scorer and passer. He can both drain jumpers and get to the rim, throw alley-oops and find the open man with a simple pass. It’s a pick-and-roll league, and nobody runs the play better.
Defensively, Paul has slipped a bit as a stopper. Maybe it’s aging, or maybe he’s concentrating too much on flopping. But he’s still well above average, and he excels at getting steals. Steals are underrated, because they always end an opponent’s possession (unlike blocks) and often lead to high-efficiency fastbreaks (unlike defensive rebounds).
Paul isn’t an elite athlete, but he has amazing basketball intelligence, and he’s athletic enough to let his skills shine.
Since Magic, here are the top 15 point guards by win shares per season. The purple-and-yellow bar represent’s Magic’s career mark.
Win shares are not a perfect stat, and Paul’s numbers are inflated by the latter, presumably lesser, yet-to-be-played seasons of his career not bringing down his average. But he’s No. 1 by a decent margin – ahead of even Magic’s career mark.
Paul’s ranking certainly matches my eye test.
The most glaring hole in his resume is his lack of postseason success, and that deserves scrutiny. Paul has never made even the conference finals.
But I’m not ready to demonize a 28-year-old for failing to win a championship. Paul has time. If he retires without a title, that would carry more weight – though only one of the next top six on that chart has won a title, and Gary Payton got his as a backup with the Heat.
If Paul isn’t the NBA’s best point guard this season, it’s extremely likely one of three things has happened:
1. Paul got hurt.
2. Westbrook – with Kevin Durant out – capitalized on his athletic advantage and took the next step.
3. You’re picking the NBA’s best point guard wrong.
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- hcdbus - Oct 21, 2014 at 12:08 AM
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Really? Chris Paul is the NBAs most underrated point guard? Who the heck says that CP3 isn’t the best PG in the NBA? That’s like saying Aaron Rodgers is the most underrated QB in the NFL.
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- ranfan12 - Oct 21, 2014 at 12:12 AM
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CP3, the new Point Gahd
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- sns626 - Oct 21, 2014 at 12:52 AM
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I would take Payton before Paul because of his size and Defense. Only 2 Point guards won MVP the Magic man and Nash. Paul hasn’t even take a team to the finals. Stop reading stats and watch the game
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- jasper36 - Oct 21, 2014 at 1:57 AM
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Tony Parker is the most underrated point guard. Just look at your article if you need more proof.
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- ranfan12 - Oct 21, 2014 at 1:11 PM
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I agree. He just seems older than he is, despite being a few years ahead of CP3. Imo, he has one of the best offensive game a point guard can have. Then there’s that spin move he likes to do. Man just knows how to rip a defense wide open. I’d still say he’s at the top now, but a couple of years ago, he was the top before he got injured. Was bordering on getting that MVP trophy to help his cause and he wasn’t exactly a slouch on defense
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- 2drunk2dunk - Oct 21, 2014 at 2:03 AM
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“..maybe it’s concentrating too much on flopping..”
I got a good LOL from that
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- reastnt - Oct 21, 2014 at 2:27 AM
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I’m with you except for the comment about Tony Parker’s success having “as much to due with being at the right place at the right time as Parker’s own skills.” No way.
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- truehooper1421 - Oct 21, 2014 at 10:48 AM
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Little bit of both. CP3 has no championships…what if he was drafted to the Spurs and Parker drafted to the Hornets? Careers would be reversed
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- 00maltliquor - Oct 21, 2014 at 8:15 PM
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Truth. I agree with Feldman on his take. It’s just fashionable to “big up” anything Spurs related right now for everyone (case in point: watch how much thumbs down this comment will get when it’s the truth).
Put Parker on the Hornets (today’s Pelicans) and Paul on the Spurs and Parker would not have done any better with the Hornets, and later with the Clippers.
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- moemoe18 - Oct 21, 2014 at 4:17 AM
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I didn’t think you can be underrated, when you’ve been known as the best point guard for years.
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- nfl4days - Oct 21, 2014 at 5:35 AM
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A lot of people forget about CP3 because he’s not out there blazing coast to coast and dunking on people like rose or westbrook, or constantly draining crazy shots like steph, damian, or kyrie. defense and elite passing don’t make for an exciting highlight tape for the average fan.
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- truehooper1421 - Oct 21, 2014 at 11:53 AM
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I don’t know 1 NBA fan who “forgets” about Chris Paul. Maybe NFL guys do, but not basketball fans.
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- pharohislife - Oct 21, 2014 at 5:23 AM
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Yet another typo, you guys; tisk tisk tisk. You misspelled Over-Rated, there’s no “Under” in it.
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- blueintown - Oct 21, 2014 at 7:10 AM
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OMG YER SO FUNNY WANNA HANG OUT SOMETIME???
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- yoda0415 - Oct 21, 2014 at 6:03 AM
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17-25 in the playoffs. Never reached the conference finals. Supremely talented, but it is absolutely ludicrous to insinuate he somehow underrated. He’s great, but he’s never won. The argument as to if he truly is the best PG since Magic can be made, but let’s be serious.
And please show more respect to Tony Parker. He’s probably who this article should be about just based on your comments that he was in the “right place at the right time”. So disrespectful.
Overall, I strongly disagree and your arguments are weak in showing he is underrated. If anything it shows he has underachieved. LeBron was “demonized” for not winning a championship prior to the age of 28, so that’s also a weak point to add. He’s 28 and slowing down, how does he have time? It is likely that he is the best PG in the league, but he has not shown the ability to win when he’s the best player on the team. I don’t ever think he will.
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- twill1970 - Oct 21, 2014 at 6:32 AM
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This guy is so OVERRATED. He stay hurt and he was suppose to put the Clippers over the top. He hasn’t made it pass the 2nd round of the playoffs. The most noticing thing is when he play against Tony Parker, Mike Conley, or Russell Westbrook they eat him up everytime regular season and playoffs.
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- andreboy1 - Oct 21, 2014 at 9:06 AM
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Except when the playoffs start then it’s out in the first round
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- express34texas - Oct 21, 2014 at 11:02 AM
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Give Paul a little credit, sometimes he can make 2nd round.
What an awful article. Paul underrated? Try most overrated PG in history behind Nash. Paul’s played with an AS for several years now, and still no conf. finals. How is westbrook more injured than Paul, Feldman? You might want to check the stats. Rose was much better than Paul before he got hurt in 2012. I think Rose will regain his form this year. Westbrook has clearly overtaken Paul for at least the past 2 years. He owned Paul in last year’s playoffs. In 2013 when Westbrook went down in 1st round, the Thunder barely squeaked by the Rockets before losing to the Grizz. Win shares don’t tell us a thing, pointless stat.
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- truehooper1421 - Oct 21, 2014 at 9:18 AM
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How can this man be underrated. He is called the best PG for years and years now and still hasn’t won anything or came close. All he does is choke in the playoffs (especially last year lol). C’mon man best pg since Magic? He’s great and all that but at some point…you hvae to win something!? Or at least come close.
Nash has 2 MVPs and if not for Jordan, Stockton would have at least one championship with the stats to back it up. What about Jason Kidd’s steals, assists, and 3s? Kidd came closer to winning with the Nets than Paul ever has. Using that lame win shares chart smh
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- express34texas - Oct 21, 2014 at 12:30 PM
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Nash didnt deserve either MVP. And mavs got better mainly replacing him with Jason Terry. He was ‘the good story’ for his first few years in Phoenix, and they were exciting to watch. Amare did just fine in NY without him, too, until he got hurt. Tired of this Paul garbage. If he’s so good, then where’s the evidence? I think Rose will be able to return at least close to form. If so, he and Westbrook are so much better than Paul now.
Stockton’s a HOFer, but never elite, and couldn’t be best player on a title team. Kidd was great, but never a true superstar. Bottom line, it’s super hard for little guys to lead their teams to titles. Isaiah Thomas is only one to do so. But, he had an extremely good team around him. Paul backers won’t admit it, but Paul has had similarly very good, deep teams around him, and Thomas never had as great a teammate as Griffin. So far in LA, Paul has only won 2 series in 3 years. It just doesn’t add up.
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- guptacis - Oct 22, 2014 at 1:23 AM
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Wait a minute. Nash didn’t deserve MVP? Do you know how historic it is to be in the 50-40-90 club? Come on man, know the game, know the stats then talk. Those Suns were amazing with Nash running the offense.
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- express34texas - Oct 22, 2014 at 10:30 AM
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Yea, know the game indeed. Does 50-40-90 somehow mean you’re an MVP? If players focused on achieving that, several guys would do it every year. It’s impressive, but doesn’t mean anything necessarily.
The suns were good, not great. Nash played with several AS and a very deep team. He never made the Finals once. And like I said before, the Mavs actually did better without him. He was a good story, that’s about it. His stats barely improved from Dallas to PHO. The pace improved and he was more ball dominant, that’s why his #’s slightly increased. Guys just don’t improve that much that far into their careers.
Nash has as many MVPs as Duncan, and as many as Shaq/Kobe combined. Know the game indeed, gupta. The facts don’t back it up for Nash winning MVP nor does is play.
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- jcrileyesq - Oct 21, 2014 at 11:38 AM
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isiah thomas anyone?
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- 00maltliquor - Oct 21, 2014 at 8:59 PM
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He’s not even on that fancy lil’ chart. Terry Porter is a better PG then him apparently. Advanced stats are so fun…
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- boogiefan87 - Oct 21, 2014 at 12:36 PM
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Lol, CP3 is definitely not the PG since Magic. Stockton >>> CP3.
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- pharohislife - Oct 21, 2014 at 1:04 PM
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I can actually think of several Point Guards I’d rather have once its Playoff time than Chris Paul.
Best Regular Season Point Guard in the league, most definitely. But what does that mean really?
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- imakcds - Oct 21, 2014 at 3:16 PM
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anybody notice how ever since the concensus best point guard in the game, CP3 ,joined the Clippers that that title has been in question?
I don’t question it, he’s still the best, imo.
but he’s not going to win it all with the Clippers, and certainly not if Griffin is his big gun.
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- kclanton80 - Oct 21, 2014 at 3:26 PM
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CP3 is definitely overrated in my opnion. If he were truly the great priennial MVP candidate people claim him to be, then the clippers would be advancing much further in the playoffs. I would take westbrook, or tony parker for postseason performance.
He has good assist numbers but part of that is how much he dominates the ball on offense. Similar to how rondo’s assist number exploded because he insisted on setting up every single scoring play to rack up numbers. Truthfully his ball dominance has slowed the growth of blake griffin and not allowed him to show his full repertoire of skills .
I think the clips should have kept the younger, less expense, less ball dominant, ascending talent that is Eric Bledsoe over signing Paul to a huge deal. Bledsobe would bring 85% of pauls production at about 65% of the cost and allow Blake to take his rightful place as lead dog on this team.
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- express34texas - Oct 21, 2014 at 3:40 PM
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Not really. In 08 he was, and probably in 09, that’s it. Rose then took over, and then Westbrook. Griffin is now better than Paul and a top 5 player. How could Griffin not help him? That doesn’t make sense. Rivers is a competent coach, and the Clips are very deep. No excuses if he’s truly an elite player.
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- 5xchamp24 - Oct 21, 2014 at 6:15 PM
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I wanna know, when did CP3 become this great defending PG. Steals doesnt make you a great defender.
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- express34texas - Oct 22, 2014 at 10:33 AM
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He is a great defender or at least very good now. Steals are important but not everything, but he is disruptive, but not like Westbrook disruptive. Paul is mostly a feel good story, like James was in Cleveland first time around, and Nash in PHO. All 3 of these players had legit squads to win a title if they were as good as most make them out to be. Obviously, they aren’t, so the only thing they can say is that their squads weren’t that good.
