Even without Victor Wembanyama on the court, the San Antonio Spurs know where they want the ball to start the crucial possessions of a close game. In Chris Paul’s hands.
On Tuesday as the Oklahoma City Thunder mounted a fourth quarter rally from 20 point deficit, the Silver and Black managed to keep one of the best teams in the West at bay. ClutchPoints asked Paul if, given the specifics of the contest, he felt as if these were the types of situations San Antonio acquired him.
Spurs postgame
Asked Chris Paul if the 110-104 win vs. OKC felt like the kind of game that represented the reasons the #Spurs added him…
“I definitely know what I’m capable of and situations I’ve been in over and over again for years…”
Full answer
#GoSpursGo #PorVida pic.twitter.com/wdDiBeMPc3
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) November 20, 2024
“You might have to ask them. I definitely know what I’m capable of and situations that I’ve been in over and over again for years is late game situations, last three, four minutes,” the future Hall of Famer said of an effort that didn’t include Wemby, Devin Vassell or Jeremy Sochan.
Paul scored 14 points, including a critical three-pointer that helped steady his young shorthanded team, in the 110-104 victory vs. OKC.
Chris Paul’s influence on young Spurs
In his 20th NBA season, Paul is averaging 10.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He’s been especially steady with Wembanyama out in each of the team’s last two games and expected to miss at least one more.
“For us, we’ve had so many different guys in and out of the line up so we’re just trying to figure out things that work on any given night. Guys stepped up. Everything was by committee,” Paul told ClutchPoints following what may have been the Silver and Black’s most impressive victory of the young season.
“It was a defensive effort and that’s why we won.”
Asked if it’s the type of win that can give the young Spurs confidence going forward, the 39-year-old point guard answered optimistically.
“We hope so. We played a lot of close games already right now to start year and we’ve had some tough losses, some big leads that we let go. The only way that you learn how to win these games is to actually do it.”
Paul’s impact on his teammates
“Consistency,” Paul said on what the Spurs must improve. “That’s it,”
“That’s we talked about after the game is that we’ve got to expect to win, especially games like this. I think we executed the game plan perfectly.”
Long a staple of the Spurs franchise, their defensive prowess is still aiding some wins – especially it’s most recent one.
“Our defense, we helped all night. We knew what Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander] and Jalen [Williams] were capable of and we just wanted to shift all night. Just putting strings of games together, not be a win one, lose a couple, win one, so I think that’s next next step for us is consistency.”
There’s not much Paul, who sustained what’s considered a mild left thumb sprain vs. the Thunder, hasn’t seen since he entered the league in 2005. One thing has stuck out, though, about the latest of the seven teams for which he’s played.
“If you see our practices, guys are working. Every single day, guys are out there working.”
It’s work that Paul hopes translates into wins for a team that appears hungry for them.
The post Spurs’ Chris Paul keeps it real on clutch leadership on youthful squad appeared first on ClutchPoints.
