"I always say this city raised me, man!" - Chris Paul on the impact of New Orleans on his life, as the 12-time All-Star has a perfect night going 14/14 from the field to win the series 4-2
Chris Paul was familiar with a lot of faces on the New Orleans Pelicans, especially their coach. Willie Green was Paul's teammate in New Orleans and when asked about how it felt to win against Green and his former team, Chris Paul stated:
"You have no clue man, I'm emotional every game here back. Willie being my brother, somebody who I talk to about everything. Seeing the Suns sitting on the baseline, you know what I mean, it's a good win for us."
"I always say this city raised me."
@CP3 spoke with @ALaForce after a series-clinching win in New Orleans. https://t.co/ETluU0Uraa
Chris Paul was emotional after leading the Phoenix Suns to a stunning 115-109 win in Game 6 against the New Orleans Pelicans. Paul had a historic night, scoring 33 points while converting all 14 of his field goal attempts.
His stellar performance helped the Suns advance to the next round. Unfortunately, he eliminated his former team in the process.
In his post-game walk-off, Paul expressed his sincere gratitude to the city of New Orleans. He credited the team and the city for helping shape his career. Paul helped lead the young franchise to its first taste of relevance and is still a beloved figure in the city.
Instead of speaking about his historic performance, Paul expressed his gratitude to the Greenups family, who helped him out during his time in New Orleans. Chris Paul said:
"It's cool man. I always say this city raised me man. Honestly, a big shout out to the Greenups too, you what I mean, Darryl, this was for you, man. The Greenups was a family in New Orleans that looked out for me the entire time I was here. Randy, Carrie, Terry all of y'all."
.@CP3 shares a moment with Pelicans' HC Willie Green after Game 6 ❤️ https://t.co/2dJo35ZtYi
How good was Chris Paul when he played for New Orleans?
Chris Paul was drafted fourth overall by the New Orleans Hornets in the 2005 draft. He immediately showed off his basketball wizardry and won the Rookie of the Year award in 2006.
Although Paul put the league on notice, the Hornets finished tenth in the Western Conference in each of his first two seasons there.
Chris Paul in game 6 against New Orleans:
33 Points
8 Assists
5 Rebounds
14-14 FG
The point god came through 💯 https://t.co/TbNLEnz3qV
However, the 2007-08 season happened to be a big one for both Chris Paul and the franchise.
Paul led them to a second-place finish in a conference that featured dominant teams such as Kobe Bryant's LA Lakers and Dwight Howard's Orlando Magic. He also made his first All-Star appearance and was selected to the All-NBA's first team.
Chris Paul said he saw/heard about the billboards Trenice Kenner put up for him in New Orleans, and gave her a hug after the game. https://t.co/g2aF8VEakF
From that year on, Paul's game kept improving. The city of New Orleans embraced Paul and loved the fact that they had a superstar who could take the franchise to new heights.
Paul made multiple All-Star teams and also led the league in assists three times during his time there. He led New Orleans to the playoffs three times, and this set the tone for his exceptional career.