2. Chris Paul is trending in the right direction
Chris Paul’s shoulder injury has been a huge storyline of this series and Game 4 was the most impressive game for the veteran point guard in this series. While he was not the absolute best version of himself, he looked great and was a key component in the Suns’ victory.
Paul looked much better than he did in the previous three games in this series, scoring 18 points with nine assists and three steals. He was hitting his mid-range jumper as he normally does and he even had the confidence to attempt three threes.
While he did not make any of them, the fact that the shoulder is feeling good enough for him to be comfortable taking these shots is saying something.
Could the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Suns without Anthony Davis if Chris Paul was hurt or could barely play? Absolutely. Paul is the lifeblood of this team and while Devin Booker is the most talented, everything in Phoenix revolves around Paul. He is the sun of the Suns’ galaxy.
Paul looked good in Game 5 and he should only look better as the games go along. This is part of the reason why it was so critical for the Lakers to win this series as soon as possible. The more time they give Paul to recover the worse the outlook is for LA.
The narrative has flipped. The Lakers are now the team with a hurt star and the Suns are in a much more promising situation.
That happens in basketball, though, and it is why winning a championship is such a hard feat to accomplish. Hopefully, the Los Angeles Lakers don’t get eliminated because of injury.