The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Jan Hubbard) reports: Chris Paul has been a nightmare for the entire league, because if opponents try to double-team him to limit his scoring, he is such a great passer that he will find the open man. “He’s really a mature player for his age, and he can do it all, ” Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said. “He can shoot the 3, he can penetrate, he gets steals, he’s very, very confident. “He’s very heady, very knowledgeable of the game, can beat you in between, at the basket, he gets to the free-throw line, just causes havoc. And if you have to play against him in a seven-game series, I don’t think the opposing head coach is going to get much sleep.”
The Star-Telegram continues: Much was expected from Paul, who goes by the nickname “CP3,” which is the first letter of his first and last name and his uniform number and has nothing to do with Star Wars. Paul was the fourth player taken in the 2005 draft behind Andrew Bogut, Marvin Williams and Deron Williams. But he has exceeded even high expectations, which is why he is getting considerable support for the Most Valuable Player award this season. Kobe Bryant is the favorite, but Paul has gained momentum. If he doesn’t win it, he’s likely to finish second, ahead of Boston’s Kevin Garnett and Cleveland’s LeBron James.
