Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns dissected the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night, taking a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Semifinals with a 129-109 victory.

The Point God dropped 28 points, six rebounds and eight assists on 11-of-16 shooting, flipping the switch late to put Dallas away for good. Half of Paul's points came in the fourth quarter courtesy of another dazzling shooting display, mostly from his preferred spot in the mid-range. Even nearing 37 years old, playoff defenses just have no answer for Paul.

But the Suns' leader hardly makes his layered impact on offense alone. While Paul isn't the on-ball stopper he was in his prime, he remains a top-tier defender among point guards, and the guile he showed on this play against Jalen Brunson is one of many reasons why.

Just ask Kyle Kuzma how frustrating it is to play against a competitor of Paul's ruthless genius and gamesmanship.

It's not just going vegan that has extended Paul's time as a truly elite player. His competitiveness and basketball IQ haven't waned with age, unsurprisingly, only reaching higher levels with the Suns. Paul is playing some of the best basketball of his legendary career right now, re-establishing Phoenix as a clear-cut title favorite.

If he's hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy come June, there will no doubt be a lot of fans unhappy that a player of his unique style will have finally reached his ultimate goal. Many, many players across the league, though, will be thrilled for one of the smartest and most respected players of his generation—even if Paul is the NBA's “most annoying” opponent.