After trailing by 12 points at the end of the first half against the Chicago Bulls, Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns took their play to another level in the next 24 minutes that followed to escape with a 106-97 victory.
While Paul led the way with 14 points and 15 assists–finishing with a team-high +28 on the plus-minus box score–the veteran playmaker gave credit to the Suns' bench for truly elevating the team. In fact, according to Paul, their reserve players are one of their major advantages since only a few teams in the NBA have a bench squad that can start in any other team.
“It's such a luxury to have, but we expect that. We talk about it all the time, we're one of the few teams in the league that has a bench that comes in and they're basically starters,” Paul shared, via Gerald Bourguet of Fan Sided.
Indeed, credit should be given where it is due, and Paul is spot on with his assessment of their bench unit. While the Heat's backup outscored the Suns', 31-43, the likes of Frank Kaminsky and Cameron Johnson stepped up big time when it mattered most.
Kaminsky finished with 15 points off the bench and was all around the court during his 13 minutes of playing, recording two rebounds along with one assist, steal and block. Cam Johnson was also impactful, as he recorded eight points, three assists and one steal while finishing with a +12 in plus-minus.
The Suns have truly come alive this 2020-21 campaign, competing at the top of the West standings with a 21-11 record–just a game behind the reigning champions, Los Angeles Lakers.
The question for Chris Paul, Devin Booker and the rest of Phoenix is whether they can get the job done in the playoffs. However, with the way they are playing, there's no reason to doubt them.
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