While the NBA Pacific Division Champion Los Angeles Clippers are waiting to find out who will be their first round opponent, here is a possible key matchup to keep an eye on
The Los Angeles Clippers have a bevy of weaponry of all shapes and sizes with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Darren Collison and the soon-to-return Jamal Crawford leading this unit into the NBA Playoffs.
The now back-to-back Pacific Division Champions are most times a matchup nightmare to the rest of the league. But it is necessary to go deeper than simply team-to-team comparisons when it comes to the postseason.
Here is one matchup that every basketball fan would froth over especially in postseason play…
Chris Paul vs. Stephen Curry
You have arguably the best point guard in the league today in Paul and one of the budding megastars in Curry in a matchup that by itself is worth the price of admission.
But when it’s the Clippers (55-23) vs. Warriors (48-29) combined with those two as the forefront in the playoffs, it creates the perfect storm between two elite point guards and two clubs that can’t stand each other.
But to put the attention back to Paul and Curry, both these guys are incredibly proficient scorers. Curry of course is a three-point machine that harkens back to the days of Warriors legend Chris Mullin.
Curry not only has Mullin’s shooting touch, he also has super-quick feet and fast decision-making whether to defer to his wingman Klay Thompson for three or take it through the lane himself.
Seen in Curry’s 33-point effort against the Dallas Mavericks back on December 30, 2013 is a microcosm of his entire arsenal (likely the heir to Paul’s throne).
Paul on the other hand doesn’t have as itchy of a trigger as Curry as he relates to being a more conventional point guard. While the Warriors and Curry rely on their shooting ability, Paul and the Clippers use a ton of ball screens and will wait until they find that one lane or open space to make a shot.
The passing highlights start at 8:22 of the clip shown above. Watch the pick-and-roll between Paul and Griffin has baited many a defender and has been almost unstoppable this year. One pick-and-roll in particular between Paul and Griffin at 9:35 shows the kind of attention Paul receives from the defense.
And also, there is no point guard that finds the open man for three better than Paul. The video itself proves that.
It’s been well-documented that Paul has been compared to some of the greatest point guards to ever play the game. From Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas and John Stockton, Paul has without question been the face for point guards in his millennium.
It would be interesting to see how two guys who have somewhat differing playing styles at their position matchup against one another in the playoffs.
While Curry has an edge with offensive production, Paul is more secure with the ball, committing 1.4 less turnovers a game.
CP3 also has the edge in the steals department by a wide margin (2.5 to Curry’s 1.6).
Turnovers and steals are the two categories that are vital to any elite point guard with of course the most important statistic known being assists (Paul also has the advantage in that department too 10.8-to-8.5 APG).
Of course Paul has been around twice as long as Curry has. But as of right now if an owner had to choose between the two to build his/her franchise, it be Paul due to his versatility and leadership over the scoring machine in Curry.
It would be one terrific series if the Clippers and Warriors get together in the first round and see these two light it up at Staples Center or Oracle Arena.
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