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The Phoenix Suns defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of their first-round series on April 18. The series is now tied at 1-1 and Chris Paul has finally ended his Scott Foster streak.
Coming into Game 2, Paul had lost 13 straight playoff games Foster officiated. During his postgame press conference following Game 2, the future Hall of Famer talked about winning a game Foster officiated.
“I ain’t notice,” Paul said. “Nah I think we all about in this run minimizing distractions. So that is what it is. I’m sure it’s still gon’ be a thing. League know what it is. So can’t control it. Ain’t been able to control all the other ones, so it ain’t gon’ change now. So the game is the game.”
The Suns beat the Clippers by a final score of 123-109. Paul played 38 minutes and finished with 16 points, four rebounds and eight assists while shooting 8-of-14 from the field. The 12-time All-Star had a plus-minus of +14.
Chris Paul Underwent an X-Ray After Game 2
Paul underwent an X-ray on his right hand after Game 2, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. The results came back clean.
Paul averaged 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists during the regular season while shooting 44.0% from the floor, 37.5% from beyond the arc and 83.1% from the free-throw line. The 37-year-old is looking to win his first NBA championship.
Game 3 of the Suns-Clippers series is on April 20. Games 3 and 4 are in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena. Phoenix has to win one game on the road to reclaim home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series.
Could the Suns Trade Chris Paul This Summer?
In a March 28 story called “Who Should Be Untouchable On Every NBA Team This Offseason?,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley said Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are the only players on the Suns who are untouchable.
“Talent-wise, Booker and Durant rise above the rest of this roster. Frankly, they rise above the majority of this league. A healthy Durant has a credible case as the best player in basketball. Booker has climbed up so far on the NBA ladder he’s running out of rungs,” Buckley wrote. “They aren’t the only players in this discussion for the Phoenix Suns, though. While they could shop Chris Paul or Deandre Ayton, it’s hard to envision finding a better plug-and-play option for either spot. It would more likely involve Ayton than Paul, since the former is younger and plays less of a premium position, but neither seems super likely. Not super likely isn’t the same as impossible, though, and that’s before accounting for how an early playoff exit might impact that likelihood. What if teams dare Paul to consistently score on them, and the 37-year-old can’t? What if Ayton can’t stay on the floor again? The Suns could then be in line for substantial changes this summer, just none that involve Booker or Durant.”
Paul signed a four-year, $120 million contract with the Suns in August 2021. The franchise almost traded CP3 to the Brooklyn Nets in February for Kyrie Irving, according to Haynes. The Nets wound up trading Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, while Phoenix kept Paul and acquired Durant from Brooklyn.
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