12. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
Last Rank: No. 12
Position: Point Guard
Age: 30
Slash Line: .458/.389/.889
Season Averages: 32.5 MPG, 18.9 PPG, 9.5 APG, 3.8 RPG, 2.1 SPG, 1.6 3PM
The Los Angeles Clippers continue to thrive without injured power forward Blake Griffin, and Chris Paul has been the driving force behind that push. The Point God has paced the Clippers as both a scorer and facilitator, all the while maintaining his traditionally pesky defense.
This season has been trying on Paul, and it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to lock his man down, but Griffin’s potential return should be the cure to Paul’s woes.
Since Griffin went down on Christmas Day, the Clippers are 15-4—a telling enough sign of how well Paul has played. During that 19-game period, the 30-year-old is averaging 20.4 points, 10.3 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.1 steals on a slash line of .457/.416/.882.
If you still disagree with Paul being back in the Top 10 discussion, then you’re missing out on how brilliant he’s been without Griffin.
Los Angeles is prone to some slip-ups, but that’s to be expected of a team that’s playing without its No. 1 scoring option. Paul has helped the second unit find stability, the starters discover chemistry, and the team achieve victory.
There’s a reason they call him, “The Point God;” Paul has an uncanny ability to make everyone around him play at a higher level.
Next: The Under-Appreciated Star