One Stat That Shows Chris Paul’s Impact on Winning

It’s unfair that Chris Paul is heading into his 40s without an NBA ring. He’s not nicknamed ‘Point God’ for nothing, and his two decade long career of stellar stats proves he has lived up to the reputation as one of the best at his position.

Paul, second on the NBA’s all-time assists list, has never been just padding stats. For every season of his career, he has consistently won the minutes he has played. This means, every time Paul plays, his team is likely to outscore its opponents on the court. And considering the fact that he’s not always played for elite teams, this is an extraordinary stat.

CP3 began his career with the New Orleans Hornets, then moved to the Clippers, followed by stints with the Rockets, Thunder, Suns, Spurs, and Warriors. Most of those teams were hardly serious contenders for the playoffs, let alone championship runs. But Paul? He was a winner whenever he stepped on the court.

Since the NBA started tracking play-by-play data in 1996, no player has had a streak as long as Paul’s, barring Tim Duncan.

Looking back on Paul’s career, it’s clear that many franchises would now rue not having better players around him, because it could very well have led to multiple championships. Regardless, he led four different teams to their best-ever seasons in history.

In the 2007–08 season, the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans) finished second in the West with 56 wins, all thanks to Paul. In 2014, the Clippers finished third with 57 wins, the Rockets claimed first with 65 wins in 2018, and the Suns finished with 64 wins in the 2020–21 season. Paul’s presence was the driving force behind all of it.

In fact, Paul played a key role in getting Phoenix to the Finals, where they only lost to MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s Bucks in six games. An even better achievement to look back on would be the 2019–20 season, where Paul took Oklahoma City to the playoffs, despite the otherwise young team only having a 0.2% chance of making it.

So, Paul may not have a Championship to show off. But those who have watched him play and followed his stats over the last decade or so can attest to the fact that he is a serial winner.

Ahead of the 25–26 campaign, Paul has returned to the Clippers. It’s expected to be his last season in the league, and with a lineup comprising of Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Bradley Beal, and Brook Lopez, Paul may just retire with one ring.