Chris Paul is one of the best point guards to ever suit up in the history of basketball. There's a reason many call him the Point God, as he's able to dictate the tempo and flow of the game with his elite court vision and leadership on the court. However, there's also a reason why he's one of the most annoying opponents to face on the court. And that much was evident late in the Phoenix Suns' 99-95 loss to the shorthanded Dallas Mavericks who saw Luka Doncic exit the game with an injury.

With 12 seconds left in the game, and the Mavs up by just one point, 96-95, Reggie Bullock split a pair of free throws. However, Dwight Powell came to his rescue. Powell nabbed the offensive board and drew yet another foul for the Mavs with a chance to give them a two-possession lead. However, Powell isn't the best free-throw shooter, as he went to the charity stripe having made only one of his four attempts on the night.

Thus, Chris Paul, being the competitor that he is, tried to get in Dwight Powell's head. But that didn't work. Powell ended up making both of his free throws, essentially sealing the deal for the Mavs despite the absence of Luka Doncic.

So what exactly did Paul tell Powell? During his postgame interview with TNT's Chris Haynes, the Mavs center shed some light on what the veteran point guard told him before he stepped up with ice in his veins on the foul line.

“He said, ‘Make the first, miss the second.' So I half agreed with him,” Powell said. “[Spencer Dinwiddie] told me ‘make both', so that's my teammate.”

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Dwight Powell stepping up when it matters is exactly what Dallas needs to remain afloat should Luka Doncic need to miss time due to an ankle injury. This is especially true with Christian Wood already nursing a fractured thumb.

For where the Mavs are in the standings at the moment, this win against Chris Paul and the Suns is a huge statement, especially after a dispiriting loss against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.

As for the Suns, perhaps Paul should have muttered “anulo mufa” under his breath to prevent his trash talk from backfiring.