"16 years, surgeries, hard work, losses... but we’re going to enjoy tonight" - Chris Paul reflects on his journey after leading the Phoenix Suns to 2021 NBA Finals
The Phoenix Suns are all set to make their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993 after their Game 6 win over the LA Clippers at Staples Center on Wednesday night.
Chris Paul came up big, scoring 41 points, and will now make his debut NBA Finals appearance after a 16-year wait.
The Phoenix Suns blew the LA Clippers away 130-103, bouncing back in style after they failed to close out the series at home in Game 5.
After the game, Paul said he was always confident of making it to the NBA Finals, despite such a long wait.
"Nope. Nope. I ain't built like that. Get to work," said Paul.
He also spoke about the struggles he had to endure en route to this moment.
“16 years. Surgeries. Hard work. Losses - bad losses. But we’re going to enjoy tonight.”
Chris Paul added that it was special to achieve the feat in Los Angeles and against his former team, the Clippers, with whom he played for six years.
"We're going for Larry for sho" - Devin Booker confident that the Phoenix Suns will win it all
Devin Booker's debut postseason campaign is leaning towards a fairytale ending, thanks to yet another emphatic series win. The victory means he will make his debut NBA Finals appearance alongside Chris Paul.
Throughout the 2021 NBA playoffs, Booker proved that he was always ready for the big stage.
Speaking after the game, the Phoenix Suns' young star seemed really confident about his team's chances of winning it all and being crowned as the NBA champions.
"They've embraced me that way since day 1. I've put me head down and I've worked and I've been through a lot of bullshit honestly... the love has been there since I've been there, even when we were at the bottom. Phoenix is my city. We're going for Larry for sho."
Both Devin Booker and Chris Paul were highly appreciative of each other and had nothing but respect for one another's efforts in the series.
Chris Paul has had to play through injuries since the start of the 2021 NBA playoffs. He was also sidelined in the opening two games against the LA Clippers after he was asked to enter the league's health and safety protocols. During that time, Devin Booker stepped up for the Phoenix Suns, making sure they were able to stay competitive.
The Phoenix Suns will now face either the Atlanta Hawks or the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals. The Bucks and the Hawks are currently tied 2-2 in their Eastern Conference Finals series, with Game 5 set to take place at Fiserv Forum on Thursday night.