“Monty Williams has the capability to not make it as seismic as we all believe it to be” - Stephen A. Smith believes Monty Williams will ‘rally the troops’ in wake of Chris Paul’s injury
The Phoenix Suns, led by Chris Paul, are having an incredible season. They are currently the best team in the league with a 48-10 record, but the NBA community is worried about how the team will fare in Paul's absence.
CP3 fractured his right thumb in the Suns' last game against the Houston Rockets before the All-Star weekend. Although he made an appearance in the All-Star game, it was more of an honorary outing as he played only two minutes.
While many are worried about the team's performance with Paul, sports analyst Stephen A. Smith believes head coach Monty Williams will steady the ship. On ESPN First Take, he reiterated the trust he has in Monty to lead the rest of the guys but found a way to show his unwavering support for the Golden State Warriors.
"I had the Warriors coming out of the West anyway, and I wasn't jumping off on that bandwagon with or without a healthy CP3. I will say, however, that the coaching of Monty Williams has to come into play here. This man has proven to be an elite coach and leader on the NBA level. I just can't say enough about Monty Williams.
"And because of him, is why I think that even though CP3's loss is seismic, in the same breath, Monty Williams has the capability to not make it as seismic as we all believe it to be because of the way he can get the troops to rally around CP3's absence," Smith said.
Paul will surely be missed, as reports stipulate that he will be reevaluated in 6-8 weeks. If his recovery goes according to plan, the Point God might return just in time to feature in the playoffs.
Suns star Chris Paul has suffered a right thumb avulsion fracture and will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks.
Chris Paul led the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993
Chris Paul is known for elevating average teams into championship contenders, and he did it again in his first season with the Suns. His partnership with Devin Booker created one of the most feared backcourt duos, and they dominated in the 2021 playoffs.
In league history, Paul and Co. are the only ones to have handed LeBron James a first-round loss in the playoffs. Unfortunately, they failed to win it all after losing to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks after six games.
The Suns are looking to run it back, and their best shot is with CP3. He was having an outstanding season before injury struck, leading the league in assists with 10.7 per game.
The team will need to find a way to stay productive in Paul's absence. They've never had to play without CP3 for an extended period since his arrival, and that will prove to be a big test for them.