On April 18, Beijing time, the Suns ushered in the first playoff game of the season at home, and finally the Suns won the Pelicans 110-99 lightly, ushering in the opening of the series, although in the third quarter of the game, the Pelicans chased the score to single digits, but the Suns still won the game by virtue of Paul's play in the fourth quarter.
Many fans can't help but wonder why the 36-year-old Paul still plays so well without the advantage of height and speed, and if you understand these points, you will understand why Paul is so good.
1. Improvement of ability to control mistakes and three points
For the team's No. 1 position, due to the need for a long time to hold the ball, mistakes are inevitable, whether it is Harden, Doncic and Trae Young this season, such a team holding the core of the ball, the average number of mistakes per game is more than 4 times, which is a normal number of mistakes for the team's ball holding core. But Paul has only made 2.4 turnovers this season, not just this season, in Paul's 17-year career, only the number of turnovers in the 08-09 season is higher than 3, and the remaining 16 seasons, Paul's turnovers are controlled within 3, which is really rare for an organizational defender with the ball.
Three-point shooting is a necessity for a guard, in the first 6 seasons of Paul's career, Paul's average three-point shots per game are basically controlled within 3, but with the prevalence of small balls in the league, Paul also increased the number of three-point shots, but the three-point shooting rate can basically remain around 36%, which is also a key to Paul's foothold in the league.
2. Ability to tandem teams
Many people mention Paul, that is, his ability to organize the team has always been the top presence in the league, and paul has won 5 assists in his career, and his career averages 9.5 assists per game, which is a very luxurious idea for ordinary defenders to get 9.5 assists in a single season.
The most important thing is Paul's ability to connect the team, from the earliest David West to the later Griffin and Jordan Jr., and now Ayton and McGee, are Paul's big eaters, even if Paul is placed on the young Thunder team, he can still rely on his ability to connect the team, bring the young Thunder to the playoffs, this kind of tandem team ability, even to 40 years old, Paul can still maintain a very good state, and this ability is not only by training.
3. On-site experience and understanding of tactics
Compared with the players in other positions of the team, the defender players have a very deep understanding of tactics, many defenders are retired, directly become the manager of the team, from the early Fisher to the current Lone Ranger's Kidd coach and trail Blazers Billups, once the team point guard was born, of course, Paul also has this ability.
In the fourth quarter of today's game, the tactics shouted by the rookie coach Green on the other side were all recognized by him, just imagine what it would be like to have a head coach on the field directing the players to run, and also to recognize the tactics arranged by the opposing coach.
Of course, the most important thing is Paul's ability in key moments, in this year's Suns game, Paul spent most of his time in tandem teammates, delivering cannonballs for teammates, but if at the critical moment of the game, Paul can still help the team through with his own play, after the difficulties, Paul will return to the position of the tandem team again, without a little greedy performance, which is indeed very rare for a defender player.
Even now that Paul is 36 years old, he will still be one of the top point guards in the league.