NBA MVP 2021: Why Chris Paul is the dark horse for the award
The Phoenix Suns overcame the Portland Trailblazers on Thursday night and continued their pursuit of a top 3 finish in the Western Conference standings. Guard Chris Paul continued his tremendous form and, as a result, is being discussed as a potential candidate to win NBA MVP award.
Led by the future hall-of-famer on both ends of the court, the Suns hold the second-best record in the league at 25-11. Paul has been an elite point guard in the NBA throughout his career, leading the league four times in assists and six times in steals. The veteran has never won an NBA MVP award in his career but has come close on a couple of occasions. The 35-year-old finished seventh in voting last season, but there's a case for him to finally get his hands on the coveted award in 2021.
Below we delve into the reasons why Chris Paul could win the NBA MVP award.
NBA MVP 2021: Why Chris Paul is the dark horse for the award
Discussions over whether Chris Paul should be a genuine contender for the NBA MVP race heated up on Thursday after Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal disagreed on the issue. Former Phoenix Suns star Barkley brought up the point on TNT's 'Inside the NBA', but received little to no support from his colleagues.
Chris Paul is having another sensational season. After leading an inexperienced Oklahoma City Thunder side to 5th seed in a stacked Western Conference last year, the point guard received immense praise. He was in the MVP discussion, albeit as an outsider to win it.
Considering the achievement in Oklahoma, many expected that with a move to Phoenix, Chris Paul would continue his immense form on a better team. After a slow start, Paul has certainly met expectations, thus raising his profile for MVP.
Rising to second in the West just before the All-Star break, the Phoenix Suns have stormed to 17 wins in their last 20 matches. They now look like the team many expected to challenge the LA Lakers and LA Clippers in the West. The franchise persuaded All-Star guard Devin Booker to stay in the offseason and his loyalty was rewarded with a stellar supporting cast.
Leading the franchise star's support is Chris Paul. Although Booker is the primary scorer, Paul is the team's heartbeat on the floor. In his 16th year, Paul's numbers are as consistent as ever, however, it is what he offers beyond the stat sheet that makes his case for MVP.
Chris Paul's ability and style of play is one of the most sought-after in the league. A point guard who controls the tempo of the game, can pass the ball and also score efficiently. Paul is shooting an impressive 48.5% from the field and a career-high 95.6% from the free-throw line.
Paul's vision on the court and his playmaking ability is second to none, which is why he has averaged 9.4 assists over his career. Among the point guards that have played over 30 games this season, he ranks in the top 5 for wins added, efficiency rating, and assist ratio. His offensive rating is a stellar 122, while his defensive rating continues to remain strong at 110.
With Paul running the offense, the Suns rank fifth in the league in offensive rating, ahead of the Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets. The Suns' net rating is +6.6 per 100 possessions with Paul on the floor and -0.2 without him.
Paul currently leads the NBA's sixth-best defense with 1.1 steals per game, even though this number is half his career average of 2.2. Despite his size, CP3 is grabbing 4.3 defensive rebounds per game and has a defensive win share of 1.5.
When former Suns star Steve Nash won the award, his output was lower than teammates Amar'e Stoudemire and Shaquille O'Neal. But it was the guard's overall impact every night that ultimately earned him the MVP award. Although he led the league in assists, Nash's points, rebounds, and steals were lower than Chris Paul's are currently.
With LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic currently leading the MVP race, it is going to be difficult for Paul to win the award. But if the Suns record continue to play at a high level led by the veteran point guard, he may well make a case for himself to take home the MVP award.