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2017 NBA Playoffs Roundup, Day 11: Saying Goodbye To Westbrook, The Spurs’ Next Great Point Guard And ‘Ice-O Joe’ Arrives

By Gerald Bourguet

April 25, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) reacts after he scores a basket against the Utah Jazz during the second half in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
April 25, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) reacts after he scores a basket against the Utah Jazz during the second half in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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2017 NBA Playoffs
April 25, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) reacts after he scores a basket against the Utah Jazz during the second half in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

Say No To Bad CP3 Takes

It’d be hilarious how little time it takes for the Chris Paul hot takes to come flying off the handle if it weren’t so infuriating.

Never mind that Blake Griffin is out injured. Never mind that Austin Rivers missed the first four games. Never mind that this series has been as dead even as you could ask for through five games. Some people would just rather ignore the evidence and label CP3 a choke artist.

Here are the facts, however. In these five playoff games, Paul is averaging 27.0 points, 10.4 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. He’s a +15 in his 182 minutes on the floor, all while shooting 53.1 percent from the field, 44.0 percent from three-point range and 91.7 percent from the foul line. So much for not being aggressive enough on offense.

In the fourth quarter, CP3 is doing it all for the Los Angeles Clippers, averaging a playoff-leading 11.2 points on .559/.462/1.000 shooting splits with a +1.4 plus/minus. So much for being a choke artist.

And yet, all that matters is his team is once again down too early in the playoffs for people’s tastes. Despite his gaudy numbers, the absence of Griffin and the return of Rudy Gobert for a 51-win Jazz team, all they can focus on is CP3’s inability to reach a conference finals.

In Game 6, the burden will once again fall to Chris Paul to carry the Clippers, especially with so much at stake in free agency for Lob City. On the road against a very good Utah team, it’s likely the “Clips gon’ Clip” takes come to the forefront if they fail.

Next: 10 Random, 1st Round Playoff X-Factors We Weren't Expecting

But before that moment arrives, someone needs to acknowledge that, like many of his failed playoff runs in the past, this one isn’t Chris Paul’s fault. Because when CP3 joins the Spurs to reach his first conference finals, and all of you hate how good San Antonio is, just remember these flawed takes are part of the reason why it happened in the first place.