Is Chris Paul the most underrated player in NBA history?

[Shooter]

His teams have been ass, if he had better teams he would have done more. If he didn't get hurt in 2018 then the Warriors probably go down.

His advanced stats, his mid range shooting is literally goat tier, his ability to lead an offense, what he is doing in OKC. He can score, he can shoot, he plays defense.

This guy has to be one of the the most underrated players

Leads the league in steals 6x
Leads the league in assists 4x

Led the league in both, same year, 3x

https://usatthunderwire.files.wordpress.com/2020/01/usatsi_13936861.jpg?w=1000&h=600&crop=1

[tpols]

Probably he's a perfect marksman and playmaker. If not for injury took down the supposedly infallible Chef Durant Dubs.

And what do you know? He's producing it on 120 ORTG in the playoffs. If he was doing 105? Nobody would be saying he's brilliant.

[rawimpact]

Nah I think he's exactly where he needs to be. He's only a good leader when he's on his own... he can't play along any players his caliber and lead.

Hornets and OKC overachieve because of his leadership
Clippers and Houston underachieve because of his lack of leadership

[1987_Lakers]

I've seen lots of people here rank him as a top 5 pg ever. His '08 and '09 seasons are also generally viewed as all time great for a PG. I personally have him #4 on the PG list.

[tpols]

Nah I think he's exactly where he needs to be. He's only a good leader when he's on his own... he can't play along any players his caliber and lead.

Hornets and OKC overachieve because of his leadership
Clippers and Houston underachieve because of his lack of leadership

How did Houston underachieve?

They were in the WCF's up 3-2 on the warriors and he got hurt and missed both elimination games.

[ralph_i_el]

How did Houston underachieve?

They were in the WCF's up 3-2 on the warriors and he got hurt and missed both elimination games.

It was the best showing anyone put up against that warriors team. Hard to think they don't take one of the last two with CP3 in the lineup.

[tpols]

It was the best showing anyone put up against that warriors team. Hard to think they don't take one of the last two with CP3 in the lineup.

it's a guarantee the rockets win if he doesnt get hurt.

They were up double digits in both games and missed what 27 3's in a row in game 7. It was nuts. Chris Paul is the ultimate give that guy the ball and get the **** out of the way player. He will J you 1v1 no question, and if you double, it's a wide open shot from a teammate. Instead of putting the boot on the dub's throats, Harden was pulling the same bullshit stunts he always pulls. Flopping on 25 foot 3's hunting FT's. Chris Paul has a better direct scoring game. Much better midrange.

[Lion's pride]

hard question to answer for me.. I have seen him recognized by some as the top pure PG of this generation to a big crying choker... You can make the argument that he is as skilled as any/most PGs in history..

[Nashty]

Better than Kobe.

[warriorfan]

He didn’t want too/couldn’t mesh with top players in his prime. He has small mans syndrome and insists on being the supreme top dog. But he can’t win it all with that mindset. Ver few can.

[HylianNightmare]

Choked to bad in Houston

[insidious301]

I think CP3 is rated just fine. Most analytic junkies rant and rave over how great he is. CP3 is playing good even now, so well that sports media are calling his season a renaissance one. The only modern pointguard who is ranked above him is Curry so I'm not buying the underrated argument. Historically you could make a case using those numbers that CP3>>>Isiah. Not many would be comfortable with that discussion however. One guy has multiple championships and the other has none nor has made a finals.

[HBK_Kliq_2]

The guy eliminated Kawhi/Duncan and then was up 3-2 on Curry/Durant. The problem is poor timing with injury. He was injured both series and couldn't go on to win the title or even make the finals. Overall, he's not more injury prone then Steph Curry. The problem is the timing of his injury issues

- eliminated Kawhi/Duncan but gets injured in the process of doing so. Missed time the next round and his team was eliminated

- Up 3-2 on Durant/Curry but injured and misses rest of the series.

[jayfan]

Underrated?

Chris Paul: 11 postseasons played, 7 series won, 1 WCF appearance, 0 Finals appearances, 0 rings.



Unless things change before he retires, Chris Paul will likely become the most impactless playoff performer to ever make the Hall of Fame.



.

[RRR3]

Yes and this thread is further proof with some of the answers.

[KD7]

Yes he's criminally underrated because of his failures in the playoffs which weren't his fault

He's the most skilled player ever imo, to be able to dominate the way he does at 6'1 takes godly levels of skill and basketball IQ

Even defensively he's underrated you could argue he's the greatest defensive point guard ever as well

[SouBeachTalents]

Underrated?

Chris Paul: 11 postseasons played, 7 series won, 1 WCF appearance, 0 Finals appearances, 0 rings.



Unless things change before he retires, Chris Paul will likely become the most impactless playoff performer to ever make the Hall of Fame.



.
This dude has absolutely no idea wtf he's talking about :oldlol: Guys like Gervin, Wilkins, Richmond, Hill, McGrady, among probably several others I'm forgetting right now, all accomplished significantly less than CP3 did in the playoffs

[StrongLurk]

Jerry West and Moses Malone get my votes. Chris Paul is underrated to casuals of the NBA, I agree with that.

[NBAGOAT]

yep. Even on realgm the "nerd forum" isiah got 50/140 votes in a poll. No disrespect but paul's just better mainly off his far more consistent outside shooting. isiah has 2 rings because he was part of strong team with multiple hofers and former all stars when he wasnt at his peak. In their primes, stockton payton nash kidd and hell maybe oscar didnt win anything either but it usually only gets brought up against paul. Maybe it's an indictment against teams having a pg as their best player but I think it's a combo of being up against better teams and some of those all time pg's not being top tier superstars during a year. I would only put oscar nash kidd and paul in that category, others never challenged for MVP.

[Shooter]

Yes he's criminally underrated because of his failures in the playoffs which weren't his fault

He's the most skilled player ever imo, to be able to dominate the way he does at 6'1 takes godly levels of skill and basketball IQ

Even defensively he's underrated you could argue he's the greatest defensive point guard ever as well

+1

Could be greateat defensive PG ever.
One of the best steals champs
Oke of the best all time passers

Advanced metrics are insane for some of his playoffs looking at PER and ws/48.

Does he get his chip in 2018 if he doesnt get hurt?

[HBK_Kliq_2]

+1

Could be greateat defensive PG ever.
One of the best steals champs
Oke of the best all time passers

Advanced metrics are insane for some of his playoffs looking at PER and ws/48.

Does he get his chip in 2018 if he doesnt get hurt?

I think he gets it in 2018 and 2015 if he doesn't get hurt. Finals he plays LeBron without Irving/Love in 2015 and I can't see how he loses that. Paul staying healthy in 2015 and eliminating Warriors may also make Durant's legacy look better. Warriors got overrated because Chris Paul did their dirty work by eliminating the defending champs Kawhi/Duncan. If not for Paul in 2015, spurs win back to back rings, warriors choke again in 2016.

[Smoke117]

I think he gets it in 2018 and 2015 if he doesn't get hurt. Finals he plays LeBron without Irving/Love in 2015 and I can't see how he loses that. Paul staying healthy in 2015 and eliminating Warriors may also make Durant's legacy look better. Warriors got overrated because Chris Paul did their dirty work by eliminating the defending champs Kawhi/Duncan. If not for Paul in 2015, spurs win back to back rings, warriors choke again in 2016.

Clippers lost that series vs Rockets because Paul and Griffin didn't get any help in the last 3 games. They were up 3-1 and Paul missed the first two games. He was great in that series once he came back. They lost that series because Redick, Crawford, Barnes, and Rivers were all horrendous in the last 3 games.

[Shooter]

Clippers lost that series vs Rockets because Paul and Griffin didn't get any help in the last 3 games. They were up 3-1 and Paul missed the first two games. He was great in that series once he came back. They lost that series because Redick, Crawford, Barnes, and Rivers were all horrendous in the last 3 games.

Correct. Clippers up 3 to 1 and in games 5-6-7 CP3 went off but his teammates couldn't do enough to help PLUS the Rockets were all doing their part with a pretty stacked team of Dwight, Harden, Ariza, Josh Smith, Terry, Capella, etc.

CP3 did his part though in the three games they clost

22 and 10 with 63%
31 and 11 on 53%
26 and 10 on 45%

26 and 10 on 54%

Barnes (starter) was pretty bad,
1/8 5 pts
4/12 9 pts
0/2 0 pts

Reddick (starter) was pretty bad,
3/12 9 pts
4/13 15 pts
4/12 0 pts

Chris Paul only got 38 points from 2 of his starters in 3 close-out games. 38 points from 2 starters, in three games.

[HBK_Kliq_2]

Clippers lost that series vs Rockets because Paul and Griffin didn't get any help in the last 3 games. They were up 3-1 and Paul missed the first two games. He was great in that series once he came back. They lost that series because Redick, Crawford, Barnes, and Rivers were all horrendous in the last 3 games.

Clippers lost game 2 when Chris Paul wasn't even playing. Game 3 Chris Paul returns and clippers win by 26 points. If Paul never misses any games, the clippers wouldn't have to rely on those players you named because clippers probably win the series in 6.

[kawhileonard2]

He was the Deron Williams of his era.

[Doranku]

Clippers lost game 2 when Chris Paul wasn't even playing. Game 3 Chris Paul returns and clippers win by 26 points. If Paul never misses any games, the clippers wouldn't have to rely on those players you named because clippers probably win the series in 6.

Clippers stole HCA in game 1 without CP3. Who knows if they still win game 1 with CP3 dominating the ball all game and going passive when it matters most.. you know, like he always did in the playoffs.

[AirBonner]

He has an overrated choking resume

[HBK_Kliq_2]

Clippers stole HCA in game 1 without CP3. Who knows if they still win game 1 with CP3 dominating the ball all game and going passive when it matters most.. you know, like he always did in the playoffs.

Oh and Harden doesn't dominate the ball? Lol they had to bench James Harden late game 6 and Josh Smith turned into their star. Chris Paul is the one who beat the defending champions, which is a bigger accomplishment then Harden has ever had. They pushed it to game 7 with Paul missing time, that tells me they were very likely to win the series if Paul didn't miss time.

[dirkdiggler41]

That he was never able to get those Clippers team over the hump makes me think he is correctly rated. Those teams were filled with scores, defenders and veterans and was never able to do it.

[ralph_i_el]

I'm pretty sure that Paul and/or Griffin were hurt at the end of all but 2 series they lost during that entire run in LA. The only "choke" that comes to mind immediately is when the Rocket's bench went off for a ton of 4th quarter 3's. This included a bunch of random Josh Smith 3's off the dribble.

I think he's just been really unlucky. He seems to have a lot of great basketball left in him. It's great to see what he's done in OKC. I had hoped he would have ended up on the 6ers/Pacers/Heat because I think he would have been great on any of those teams.

[Shooter]

That he was never able to get those Clippers team over the hump makes me think he is correctly rated. Those teams were filled with scores, defenders and veterans and was never able to do it.

Defenders? Who was their perimeter defense?

And then as for scorers, is Blake Griffin a #1/#2 option on a championship team?

[NBAGOAT]

Clippers stole HCA in game 1 without CP3. Who knows if they still win game 1 with CP3 dominating the ball all game and going passive when it matters most.. you know, like he always did in the playoffs.

What you think is passive doesn’t mean it’s suboptimal. When cp3 dominates the ba his teams score efficiently.

And there is pretty much no evidence the clips would do better without him. Cp3 has better impact than kd during his clips years according to impact stuff or record with or without. They were lucky to be .500 when he sat out.

[Shooter]

What you think is passive doesn’t mean it’s suboptimal. When cp3 dominates the ba his teams score efficiently.

And there is pretty much no evidence the clips would do better without him. Cp3 has better impact than kd during his clips years according to impact stuff or record with or without. They were lucky to be .500 when he sat out.

Big facts

:applause:

[999Guy]

I know in my balls CP3 is kicking the ass out of damn near all his peers in any era.

Only unfair genetics freaks clearly outplay him.

Which means most athletic bigs, LeBron, and MJ.