Chris Paul: Taking the Torch from Tim Duncan?
Chris Paul returned to action last night as the Los Angeles Clippers took an 2-1 lead over the Houston Rockets. However this is not about Paul’s 12 points and seven assists in limited action. This about whether the NBA has witnessed a changing of the guard in the West from one Wake Forest great to another.
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The Clippers beat the San Antonio Spurs in order to get to this round of the playoffs. The Spurs have been led by Tim Duncan, and the Duncan era for the Spurs has been extraordinary. Duncan has five titles spanning fifteen seasons. The Spurs may well have been headed for a sixth, until they ran into the Clippers in the first round.
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Duncan thrived by attracting and keeping good talents around him, and the Clippers of this year have developed in much the same way. Chris Paul has already been recognized as the best defensive point guard in basketball. Then you throw in his ability to throw the ball to Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and others. The Clippers are ready to do what Duncan’s Spurs have been doing for years.
Duncan may call it quits this off season. If he does, the Clippers will be the best suited team in the West to take advantage. Their playoff victory over the Spurs this year has to give them lots of confidence, because there are no greater playoff challenges than Greg Popovich’s Spurs.
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If that happens then Chris Paul will become the guy in the West that everyone wants to play next to. That should power the Clippers to a few big runs, unless a challenge emerges out of the East. At this point everyone wants to see Paul and his Clippers take on the other local guy in the playoffs, Davidson Wildcat Stephen Curry.
Between Duncan and Paul, Wake Forest has probably influenced more pro basketball in recent years than any Blue Devil or Tar Heel over the same period.