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5 Players That Need To Cement A Legacy In The NBA Playoffs

By Josh Eberley

May 15, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) drives against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during the fourth quarter in game six of the second round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
May 15, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) drives against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during the fourth quarter in game six of the second round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) guards Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) in the first quarter of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Stripping the semifinals sticker.

On four occasions Chris Paul has met his demise in the semifinals. Tracy McGrady has the first round, Paul has the semis, Reggie Miller has the conference finals, and Karl Malone has the Finals. All are great players, but if Paul had his choice I don’t think he’d pick to remain amongst them forever.

The Clippers have won 56 or more regular season games in three straight campaigns. The NBA playoffs are a different animal, however, and the Clippers have Clippered each and every year with eternal glory on the line.

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This is the last chance for Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Doc Rivers. The writing is on the wall: take care of business or look at a different Clippers squad next season. Griffin was the one on the block this season, but who knows what happens a year from now? All of them have something to prove, but none more so than the ultra competitive team leader. Paul has to hop the hurdle.

Last season looked like a golden opportunity for the Clippers to escape inadequacy. They took care of the Spurs in dramatic fashion. Paul had a career-defining, legacy-shining game that could’ve gone down in history as one of the special ones.

However, now it’s just one more spectacular performance from a generational point guard who can’t get over the hump. Tremendous postseason play from Paul is not a new concept and contrary to popular belief, he’s a stupendous playoff performer. His teams have failed but his playoff numbers are terrific.

Chris Paul is awesome and I can’t say enough good things about his competitive fire. The man gave a damn in the All-Star Game, for Pete’s sake! He is a better all-around player than Jason Kidd was, than Steve Nash was, and I don’t give that up easily as a proud Canadian. Paul offers the whole package; defensively, as a playmaker, as a shooter and scorer. He battles night in and night out.

But no one buys him and the Clippers as legitimate title contenders. The Thunder get an outside mention, but the Clippers aren’t even in the conversation. Paul needs to shake this reputation badly. He needs to shake it like the Pistons needed to shake Josh Smith last season.

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Paul deserves to be in conversation with the best to ever play his position and he won’t unless he gets his team to the big show. Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas and now Stephen Curry are the only point guards to win it all as the clear top dog on their squad. Paul can be part of that group — one step at a time, one round at a time.