Suns bench Chris Paul in fourth-quarter comeback win vs. Mavericks
The Phoenix Suns came back from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Dallas Mavericks, 107-105, and they did it with their 12-time All-Star point guard sitting on the bench.
Cameron Payne entered the game for Paul with the Mavericks leading 95-84. Payne scored five points down the stretch, but the star of the game was former Golden State Warriors Damion Lee, who hit two three-pointers and the game-winner with 9.7 seconds left, a ridiculous fall-away jumper over Spencer Dinwiddie.
Lee didn't rest on his laurels after the money shot, either. He got in Luka Doncic's face on defense on the other end, harassing him into a difficult three-pointer that fell short off the front rim as time expired. His brother-in-law, Steph Curry, got so excited about the game-winner that he woke up his four-year-old son.
Paul didn't seem perturbed by sitting down, though ESPN chose an unfortunate moment to cut to Paul on the sidelines after broadcaster Mark Jackson said, "Give Chris Paul credit. Not pouting over there."
CP3 really was cheering on his teammates — it's just an unlucky clip — but this did signal that perhaps the Suns are going to lean more on their best player, 25-year-old Devin Booker, and less on their 37-year-old point guard. It's a long season, and Paul has a history of wearing down, getting hurt or making baffling plays in the playoffs, so the more they can lean on a younger guard — especially a former NBA champion like Lee — the better.
After all, according to Booker, the Warriors taught Lee how to play the right way.
More must-reads: