"We call it ‘Pistol’" - Steph Curry and Chris Paul have an unspoken connection, according to Warriors' assistant coach
The Golden State Warriors shocked the NBA world earlier this summer when they acquired Chris Paul in a trade with the Washington Wizards.
Paul's history with the franchise is well documented, as he has endured many showdowns with the franchise's championship-winning core. Yet, the veteran guard has hit the ground running with his new team.
Chris Paul has already notched 62 assists while seamlessly adapting to his new role in Golden State's second unit. However, it's the instant partnership he has struck with Steph Curry that has been the most encouraging. Both guards have spent their careers spearheading an offense, and there were some concerns surrounding their ability to play together. But those concerns no longer linger.
Guard-to-guard actions between the veteran pair have already become second nature and are giving opposing defenses nightmares as they try to shut down a fluid Warriors offense.
During a recent conversation with Sportskeeda's Mark Medina, Warriors assistant coach Bruce Fraser noted how Curry and Paul put in a lot of time during the off-season, working on "Pistol" actions. These are guard-to-guard hand-offs that have multiple variations to flow into. Other members of NBA media, or X's and O's focused fans, may also know these actions under the umbrella of "21."
"Steph and CP were already doing a lot of work together early," Fraser said. "Chris wanted to see how he worked. Steph was super happy to share. A lot of our early workouts early on consisted of actions that those two and in general are ‘Warriors’ kind of actions. We would work on some of that stuff every day. Some of the stuff has already happened on the court."
He continued:
"There would be a play call that they know what is happening. They will work in tandem. There is a connection they have off the court. There is no call, but they go guard to guard where they are both in a screen or flip action. We call it ‘Pistol’ with some sort of action where both of them are out there. I’m not taking any credit for their actions together. But the workouts have spawned a connection."
Over Golden State's first eight games, lineups featuring the veteran guard duo are a +6, with an average return of 117.3 points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning The Glass (subscription required.)
With such a strong return to begin the season, Curry and Paul will find themselves shouldering a significant workload moving forward. However, that's what they practiced for during the off-season and they're ready for what's to come.
Steve Kerr is impressed with Chris Paul's playmaking
Since joining the Warriors, Chris Paul has struggled to find his rhythm on offense. The veteran guard is currently shooting 36% from the field and 13.8% from 3-point range. However, on November 6, Paul broke out of his slump to drop 17 points on the Detroit Pistons.
When addressing the media after the game, head coach Steve Kerr focused on the six assists Chris Paul had provided for his teammates. Kerr also noted how Paul has only recorded six turnovers despite his high usage rate.
"Chris has made such a huge impact, even without making shots," Kerr told the media. "Six assists, no turnovers; he’s up to 62 assists with 6 turnovers. That is insane. What’s he’s doing as we’re trying to find our team and our rhythm, he’s just keeping us in games with that second unit."
Chris Paul will continue to be a valuable member of the Golden State's rotation. If his offensive slump has ended, that value will only increase as the season continues.
Paul's presence has solidified the Warriors as a championship contender, and his partnership with Curry will have teams concerned when they're tasked with trying to slow down such an elite guard rotation.