Across nearly two decades, Chris Paul has established himself as one of the greatest point guards of all time. 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, nearly 12,000 career assists, and NBA 75 honors are just a few of the accolades on the Point God’s decorated resume.
It’s one of the biggest reasons why many Spurs fans are excited for his arrival in the 210, with Paul signing a 1-year/$13 million deal earlier this summer. While CP3 may be out of his prime at the ripe age of 39, he still has plenty of memorable moments throughout his career that are worth a trip down memory lane.
Chris Paul Scores 61 Points in High School
Chris Paul’s path to basketball legend started well before his name was called in the NBA Draft. During Paul’s senior year at West Forsyth High School in North Carolina, his grandfather was tragically murdered at the age of 61. Paul was very close with his grandfather, as he used to work at the gas station he owned. A few days after the tragedy, Paul was unsure he would be able to step on the court but ultimately decided to dedicate his next game to his grandfather.
That night, on November 18th, 2002, CP3 was unstoppable, scoring 24 points in the 2nd quarter alone. By the time there were less than two minutes left in the game, Paul had 59 points and had just scored a layup while getting fouled to up his total to 61.
The North Carolina single-game scoring record at that time was 67, with many in the audience anticipating the young point guard to go for 68. Instead, Paul missed the free throw, ending his total with 61 points in honor of the 61 years his grandfather lived for.
Chris Paul Outduels Steve Nash in 2OT Thriller
Chris Paul was as good as promised in his first few years with the New Orleans Hornets. In just his third season, Paul finished 2nd in MVP voting while averaging 21.1 points, 11.6 assists, and 2.7 steals per game while leading the Hornets to a franchise-best 56 wins. His signature game that season would come against the Phoenix Suns on February 6th, 2008, pitting Paul against a former two-time MVP in Steve Nash.
The game ended up becoming an instant classic. Six players between both teams ended up scoring more than 20 points, resulting in a thrilling double-overtime finish. Peja Stojakovic was the hero for the Hornets, delivering the buzzer-beater off of a contested turnaround jumper to give New Orleans the win over Phoenix 132-130.
CP3 put on a point guard clinic, pouring in 42 points, 9 assists, 8 steals, and perhaps even more impressive, forcing Nash to commit 10 turnovers. The Hornets secured the 2 seed in the West later that season, while the Suns finished 6th at 55 wins. CP3’s duel with Nash proved not only to be vital to New Orleans’ success that season but also to establish himself as one of the best players in the league.
Chris Paul Delivers an All-Time Performance With the Clippers
While Paul was sensational for the Hornets, his time with the Los Angeles Clippers arguably was even more memorable. Paul helped lead the Clippers from a team long in the doldrums to a perennial playoff contender during his six seasons with LA. In 2015, the “Lob City” Clips were one of the best teams in the West, and on April 1st, Paul put together a performance for the ages.
Against the Portland Trail Blazers led by a young Damian Lillard, Paul went off for 41 points and 17 assists while shooting 61 percent from the field. The Clippers got the win over the Blazers 126-122, and it stands as Paul’s best game in terms of game score. CP3’s performance landed him a game score of 47.5, which is tied for the 75th-best in a single game in NBA history.
When Chris Paul Won the West
In 2021, CP3 was at a much different point in his career than he had been up to then. With the Phoenix Suns, Paul was seen as the veteran leader of a team with young emerging stars like Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, and DeAndre Ayton. He proved to be the missing piece to that core, as that season, Paul achieved something that had eluded him for years: an NBA Finals appearance.
In game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, Paul turned back the clock during a battle with the Los Angeles Clippers. Against his old team, the Point God poured in 41 points, including a staggering 7 for 8 from downtown, to go along with 8 assists and 0 turnovers as the Suns routed the Clippers 130-102 in LA. While the party for the Suns would get cut short after losing in the Finals to the Bucks in six games, Paul proved how he could still be a valuable asset to a contender, even in his late 30s.
Chris Paul Pulls off a Perfect Game
Across three seasons with the Phoenix Suns, Chris Paul delivered plenty of memorable moments. But one game in the 2022 playoffs saw CP3 achieve something that no other player in NBA history had done before. In game 6 of the Western Conference First Round series versus the New Orleans Pelicans, Paul shot a perfect 14 of 14 from the field while netting 33 points to help the Suns win the game 115-109 and the series in six games.
No other player in NBA history has had a perfect field goal percentage on more than 13 shots. What’s even more impressive about Paul’s performance is that it was done just eight days before his 37th birthday. Against the team that he started his career with, Chris Paul etched another all-time performance on a laundry list of achievements and highlights throughout his career.
It’s safe to say that Chris Paul will have a spot in Springfield when he hangs up his sneakers for the last time. But for now, CP3 is ready to turn the page to a new chapter in his career with the Silver and Black, where he’ll get to play with perhaps the most intriguing teammate yet, Victor Wembanyama. Who knows? Maybe the Point God has a few more signature performances left in him.
