Since the All-Star break Chris has averaged almost 22ppg whilst maintaining his assists numbers. Has he made a conscience decision to be drive more, focus more on his scoring and be more aggressive or is it simply just the way the games have gone of late? Either way, it's good to see him have a chance to score because he is capable of putting up big numbers.
Good to hear about his improvement, I think being snubbed from the All-Star team while being an MVP candidate made him more assertive, and aggressive.
His scoring has gone up a notch and it seems like a natural progression for both Paul and the Hornets. Clearly, at this point he has Byron Scott's confidence and has the green light. He doesn't take alot of shots very often (20-30). I truly believe that he does what the team needs to do to win. I think that he, Speedy and David West really got the club going early this year and into playoff contention. That by itself is more than anyone was prognosticating in October. Now that they are flying, things happen like West missing two games for personal reasons, Vroman breaking his wrist, Speedy missing some games, and points needed scoring. Also, now that teams have played Paul, they probably saw a PG who broke them down and fed the ball to West or another player. Now they may be giving him room to prevent penetration because he does seem to knocking down more 3s. The Hornets must be playing some pretty good D this year as well.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TDoug:</div><div class="quote_post"> I truly believe that he does what the team needs to do to win.</div> Excellent point. I guess time will tell whether Chris is simply trying to cover the lack of scoring production with Speedy out or whether his approach to the game has changed. Either way, it's great for the Hornets to have a young, but extremely mature leader who is willing to sacrifice his own game for the team. There are very few of that type in this league (Tim Duncan is one), so it makes him even more valuable.
I stiil think Duncan remains the MVP in this League ever since he arrived. It's going to be hard to ignore Chris Paul, just like they couldn't ignore Nash.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TDoug:</div><div class="quote_post">I stiil think Duncan remains the MVP in this League ever since he arrived. </div> Absolutely no doubt. I don't care who gets the award, Tim Duncan is the most valuable player in this league by far. Just one year i'd like him to go out and maximise his numbers like the Garnetts and Nowitzki's do, then those who rely on stats only will see just how much better Tim is then everyone else.
You must be a sportswriter or a coach. Duncan could have chosen a flashier style of play and shotmaking, forcing the team to set him up for alley-oop dunks, insisting on a pick and roll every other trip down the court, but he watches the shot clock, the coach, and his teammates and looks to involve them all. Every year has been a class act. His first when he silenced all serious critics with his bank shot, his rebounding and his amazing power causing Barkley, then still trying to play to say, " I have seen the future..." and allowing the Admiral to regain admiration and to leave the game with not only two rings but with his City's respect. Except for a knee injury early I think Duncan would have 4 rings. He has encouraged, supported, assisted, anchored, done everything he can to nurture the players SA has sought and brought in like Parker and Ginobli, and mastered passing out of double and triple teams to wide open Robert Horrys, Steve Kerrs, Tony Parkers, "the rifleman" who's name eludes me this AM, the Sean Elliots, and the other marksmen SA secrets in near the end of the season to have success on the perimeter, a trademark of Spur playoff ball over the past 10 years. Only when the coaches forced the plays through Duncan when all else was failing did we see him repeatedly get the ball and back down for a spin move and a short jump hook or bank shot, or less predictably a foul shot. Until the Spurs fall out of playoff contention maybe in 4-5 years Duncan will still be considered, at least in my mind, an MVP. The other point was that while he may not have the team victories to gain public support for it at this young stage in his career, Chris Paul like Steve Nash, I believe will become this League's MVP. They'll try to make sure Lebron gets one or two, and another star or two, but Paul I believe is in line.
