Chris Paul has never made an NBA finals in his entire 16-year career. The LA Clippers have never made an NBA finals in the 51 years they’ve been an NBA franchise. Legacies are at Stake as the Suns take on the Clippers in the WCF game 3. The Suns come into Los Angeles with a 2-0 lead following Deandre Ayton’s late-game tip dunk. Now, they are two wins away from an NBA finals birth. This could be Chris Paul’s last chance at making the NBA finals. This could also be the Kawhi Leonard/ Paul George combo’s last chance at a title. Therefore, legacies are at Stake as the Suns take on the Clippers in the WCF game 3. What an epic story to witness.
Chris Paul’s legacy
Chris Paul has never made it to an NBA finals in his 16-year career. The 6-foot point guard has only made the Western Conference Finals twice (he’s only played in the Western Conference). Now at 36, he’s looking great, but he’s facing the dog years of his NBA career. These opportunities are becoming less and less. This year, he pulled off a miracle leading the Phoenix Suns to the second-best record in the west and a Western Conference finals berth. Nobody anticipated the Suns to make it this far.
The Suns Shine Bright
The legend of Chris Paul is growing with this unbelievable feat. However, his legacy is on the line as he is expected to return to action tonight. Paul is in consideration of one of the greatest point guards of all time. This is due to his career stats as well as his ability to turn around a franchise. A Finals berth and a championship would solidify his legacy.
But it can still be at stake. He’s still a great point guard if the Suns lose (they probably won’t with the way they’re playing). However, in the sport of professional basketball, the greats are validated by championships. And Paul has none. It’s the unfortunate reality of this competition, thus putting Paul’s legacy on the line tonight.
Paul George and Kawhi Leonard’s legacy
This legacy has a bit of an asterisk next to it due to the fact that Kawhi is injured at the moment. And reports are stating that Kawhi may not come back this postseason. Last year, the Clippers (who were the favorite all season) had an epic meltdown in the NBA bubble. They blew a 3-1 lead in the second round against the young Denver Nuggets. This year, they’ve come back from two straight 0-2 deficits in the playoffs. This feat is the first time ever in NBA history. Still, the legend of the George/Leonard duo is at stake in this conference finals match-up. This is because their expectations are championship or bust. Not second round, not Western Conference finals. Not NBA finals.
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However, Kawhi’s absence will give them an excuse for not making it to the finals. Kawhi is their best player, thus his absence causes a huge hole in their full potential. Nonetheless, this season will still be a disappointment if they don’t make it to the finals. And, The Clippers will once again have to wait another year for a chance to get to the finals. This may also be their only chance as well. The Lakers are still relevant, the Nuggets will get Jamal Murray back. The rest of the West is getting better. Therefore, the Clippers may have this one chance to break into the Finals and potentially win the championship George and Kawhi set out to gain when they joined forces.
This series is holding a lot of legacies at stake. The series won’t end tonight. However, the winner of this series will add to their legacy, and the loser, well, their legacy will take another hit.
The LA Clippers host the Phoenix Suns tonight at 9:00 pm Easter time on ESPN.
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