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Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul made at least one thing clear following the team’s blowout loss in Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinals series against the Dallas Mavericks.
He’s not walking off into the sunset just yet.
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Chris Paul of the Suns reacts during the Dallas Mavericks playoff game at Footprint Center on May 15, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The veteran point guard, who is arguably among the greatest at his position all-time, had 10 points and four assists in 31 minutes in the 123-90 loss. He was reportedly hampered by an injury during the series.
“They said that last year. They probably said it back in ’08,” Paul said after the game when he was asked if Phoenix was the best place for him to win a title.
“You know, you play long enough and you don’t win, every time you lose they’re gonna say it was your best chance, but I think for me, us, is we’ll be right back next year, tell you that much. I’m not retiring tomorrow.”
The Mavericks had a game plan in place to get to the point guard.
Spencer Dinwiddie, who scored 30 points off the bench for Dallas, told Yahoo Sports about the plan.
The Suns’ Chris Paul walks off the court after the Dallas Mavericks playoff game at Footprint Center on May 10, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
“We put CP into actions, we had a stifling defense. When somebody says choking, it’s like they froze. I’m never gonna say that about a team that’s competing. But it’s inevitable. I think they started getting out of character. They thought they’d try to shoot threes and get back. Remember, we’d been up in this building and then we folded,” he said.
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Paul was as close as ever to winning his first NBA championship last season when Phoenix made the Finals, but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns said, “We’ll be right back next year.” (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
With the loss on Sunday, Paul made some dubious history. He became the first player in NBA history to be on a team in which they’ve blown a 2-0 series lead five times. He did in 2008 when he was with the New Orleans Hornets, in 2013 and 2016 with the Los Angeles Clippers and last year and this year with the Suns.
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Paul is still under contract with the Suns next season. He’s owed $28.4 million, according to Spotrac.
