Chris Paul has built a Hall of Fame-caliber career by passing the ball.
He can also shoot it quite well, if needed.
Paul scored 19 of his 30 points during a brilliant fourth-quarter scoring display and the Phoenix Suns beat the New Orleans Pelicans 110-99 on Sunday night in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series.
“Classic Chris,” Suns coach Monty Williams said.
The top-seeded Suns needed Paul’s big finish despite dominating most of the game. The Pelicans shook off a slow start, cutting a 23-point deficit to 79-71 by the end of the third.
New Orleans kept hitting shots in the fourth, but that’s when Paul took over, hitting three 3-pointers and a layup in 2 1/2 minutes in a flurry that kept the Pelicans chasing. The ageless veteran will turn 37 later in these playoffs if the Suns advance far enough, but once again looked a decade younger.
Twenty Four Seven Notebook 