Wake Forest Athletics
#ProDeacs: Chris Paul Sets Tone for Suns Success
5/21/2021 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
One of the best point guards in the NBA put together another masterpiece of a season in 2020-21. In his first season with the Phoenix Suns, Chris Paul led his team to the second-best record in the league at 51-21, and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
A league veteran at the age of 36, Paul took the reins of a fringe playoff team and helped transform them into a championship contender. He did it while averaging 16.4 points and 8.9 assists per game in his 16th season in the league.
Shooting efficiently at 49.9% from the field, 39.5% from three-point range, and 93.4% from the free throw line, Paul nearly joined the highly exclusive 50/40/90 club, a feat accomplished by just a select few players in all of NBA history. His best shooting performance of the season came on Feb. 1, when he dropped 34 points on 14-of-20 shooting in a 109-108 win against the Dallas Mavericks.
Throughout the year, Paul continually set records and reached milestones while leading the Suns to wins. On April 19, Phoenix played at Milwaukee. In the fourth quarter and down three points, Paul passed the ball into the corner to Mikal Bridges who knocked down a three pointer to tie the game. With that assist, Paul officially passed Magic Johnson on the all-time assists list, moving him up to fifth. He assisted on each of the Suns' final three made field goals in regulation to force overtime, where Phoenix would grab the victory, 128-127.
In a March 21 contest against the Los Angeles Lakers, Paul recorded his first triple double of the season with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists. In the third quarter he threw a lob to Deandre Ayton for his ninth assist of the night, and the 10,000th of his illustrious career. He became just the sixth player of all time to record 10,000 assists. He remains one of three players ever with 19,000 career points and 9,700 assists. In 2020-21, his assist totals topped his numbers from the previous four seasons, despite playing a shortened schedule. His 29 games with double digit assists ranked as the second most of any player this year.
Known for his ability to take care of the ball, Paul recorded six games this season with 10 or more assists and zero turnovers. No other player in the NBA had more than two over the course of the season. In a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 4, Paul tallied the 44th game of his career with 10 or more assists without a turnover, dishing out 16 assists while scoring 23 points and notching four steals. The only player with more such games since 1985 is fellow Demon Deacon Muggsy Bogues, with 46.
With the first round of the NBA playoffs beginning Saturday, Paul and the Suns will look to continue their success against the seventh-seeded Lakers, who won Wednesday night's play-in game against Golden State. Phoenix went 2-1 against Los Angeles in the regular season.
A league veteran at the age of 36, Paul took the reins of a fringe playoff team and helped transform them into a championship contender. He did it while averaging 16.4 points and 8.9 assists per game in his 16th season in the league.
Shooting efficiently at 49.9% from the field, 39.5% from three-point range, and 93.4% from the free throw line, Paul nearly joined the highly exclusive 50/40/90 club, a feat accomplished by just a select few players in all of NBA history. His best shooting performance of the season came on Feb. 1, when he dropped 34 points on 14-of-20 shooting in a 109-108 win against the Dallas Mavericks.
Throughout the year, Paul continually set records and reached milestones while leading the Suns to wins. On April 19, Phoenix played at Milwaukee. In the fourth quarter and down three points, Paul passed the ball into the corner to Mikal Bridges who knocked down a three pointer to tie the game. With that assist, Paul officially passed Magic Johnson on the all-time assists list, moving him up to fifth. He assisted on each of the Suns' final three made field goals in regulation to force overtime, where Phoenix would grab the victory, 128-127.
In a March 21 contest against the Los Angeles Lakers, Paul recorded his first triple double of the season with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists. In the third quarter he threw a lob to Deandre Ayton for his ninth assist of the night, and the 10,000th of his illustrious career. He became just the sixth player of all time to record 10,000 assists. He remains one of three players ever with 19,000 career points and 9,700 assists. In 2020-21, his assist totals topped his numbers from the previous four seasons, despite playing a shortened schedule. His 29 games with double digit assists ranked as the second most of any player this year.
Known for his ability to take care of the ball, Paul recorded six games this season with 10 or more assists and zero turnovers. No other player in the NBA had more than two over the course of the season. In a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 4, Paul tallied the 44th game of his career with 10 or more assists without a turnover, dishing out 16 assists while scoring 23 points and notching four steals. The only player with more such games since 1985 is fellow Demon Deacon Muggsy Bogues, with 46.
With the first round of the NBA playoffs beginning Saturday, Paul and the Suns will look to continue their success against the seventh-seeded Lakers, who won Wednesday night's play-in game against Golden State. Phoenix went 2-1 against Los Angeles in the regular season.
Spring Camp Media Availability (4/9/26) | Wake Forest Football
Thursday, April 09
Spring Camp Media Availability (4/7/26) | Wake Forest Football
Tuesday, April 07
Spring Camp Media Availability (4/2/26) | Wake Forest Football
Thursday, April 02
Spring Camp Media Availability (3/31/26) | Wake Forest Football
Tuesday, March 31