Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns are advancing to round two of the playoffs after the Point God put together a perfect shooting night to help lead Phoenix to a 115-109 win over the Pelicans.
Paul scored 33 points on 14-14 shooting from the field, went 4-4 from the free-throw line, and sank his one and only attempt from beyond the arc. He also hauled in five rebounds and dished out eight assists. The 12-time All-Star became the first player in playoff history to make all 14 of his shots as he led the Suns back from a double-digit deficit.
CP3 scored his 33 points on seven different defenders, asserting his will on the Pelicans’ defense with his signature midrange jumper. Paul scored the dagger bucket with 28 seconds left on the clock when he knocked down 10-foot to give Phoenix a five-point lead.
“It’s unbelievably special; you have no idea how special it is for me,” said Paul, per ESPN. “I had no clue (I hadn’t missed). At halftime, I realized I might need to shoot a little bit more.”
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 29, 2022
Paul’s perfect doesn’t happen without his pick-and roll partner, Deandre Ayton. Paul and the Suns erased a 10-point deficit in the third quarter after knocking down 13 of their first 14 shots. Paul hit six jumpers while Ayton (22 points, seven rebounds, and four assists) made two.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, Paul and Ayton shot a combined 24-26 from the field, the highest combined field goal percentage (92.3 percent) by a pair of teammates in a playoff game in the shot-clock era.
“I don’t believe in heat checks, I don’t shoot enough to take a heat check, and once I miss, I might be cold,” Paul said. “They were sort of letting me get to my spots.”
The Suns and Dallas Mavericks are set for a second-round showdown that begins on May 2 in Footprint Center.
