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Chris Paul's magical run with the Phoenix Suns could be legacy-defining
"He is Houdini!"
All it took was a quick flick of Chris Paul's wrist for TNT announcer Kevin Harlan to evoke the legendary magician and illusionist during the Phoenix Suns' 125-118 win in Game 4 over the Denver Nuggets.
In addition to that scintillating highlight, Paul finished Game 4 with 37 points on a ridiculous 73.7% from the field, carving up the Nuggets with a razor-edged midrange game.
The 36-year-old Paul was nearly flawless in the Western Conference semifinals sweep, averaging 25.5 points, 10.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game. He shot 62.7% from the field, 75.0% percent from distance and didn't miss a single one of his 22 free-throw attempts.
Furthermore, the "Point God" had just five total turnovers in the four games played, and he saved some of his finest work for the fourth quarter in each respective game.
To go with his combined total of 43 points in 31:50 of work, Paul averaged 85.4% shooting from the floor and 75% from distance, along with 2.5 assists and zero turnovers in the fourth quarter of each game.
On his way to eliminating the Nuggets, Paul passed another legendary point guard on the leaderboard for all-time assists in the playoffs.
Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas, aka "Zeke", was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2000. Paul now sits at 989 assists in the playoffs, having leapfrogged Thomas' 987 assists for 13th on the all-time list.
And speaking of Zeke, Nick Wright of "First Things First" said he believes both Paul and Thomas should be getting more due for their respective careers.
"[Paul] is just the modern version of [Thomas], who, up until Steph [Curry] walked into the league, was the greatest ‘little guy’ in league history," Wright said. "And the reason they are one and the same is not just because they're ultimate leaders, not just because they contribute so much to winning, but because they always have this available to them. And by this, I mean the 35-point explosion."
Zeke, however, won two NBA titles during his career, something Paul has yet to accomplish across his 16 years in the league.
In fact, he has yet to make the NBA Finals — with his best finish coming in 2018 when he fell short in the Western Conference finals with the Houston Rockets against the eventual-champion Golden State Warriors.
As far as Paul's legacy goes, this playoff run certainly isn't hurting his résumé. But how much more does he need to do to help solidify his standing?
ESPN's Jays Williams said he's not banking on a championship to cement Paul's legacy.
However, Skip Bayless of "Undisputed" took a different tack.
Bayless said the stage is now set for Paul to either make or break his legacy, based on how he carries himself in the conference finals or beyond.
"All he has done is put himself in a position to make a huge statement," Bayless said. "Now, he's right where he needs to be. He's gotten the NBA's attention. It's all there for you, in the conference final and, with any luck for them, in the NBA Finals."
As far as the conference finals go, the Suns will have ample time to rest and await their opponent.
The Utah Jazz and LA Clippers are locked in a back-and-forth series, with the Jazz up 2-1 but coming off a 132-106 drubbing in Game 3.
That series won't be decided until Wednesday at the earliest in Game 5 and could extend as far as a Game 7 on Sunday.
Plenty of time for Paul to slip another trick or two up his sleeve for the conference finals.
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