National Basketball Association

Chris Paul is on fire, which could prove to be the winning formula for the Suns

Updated Jul. 30, 2021 8:14 a.m. ET

It might seem unfathomable that a 16-year veteran and 11-time All-Star could take his game to new heights at age 36, but that has been the case for Chris Paul this postseason.

And it has especially been the case in his past two games.

After a rousing, 41-point tour de force in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals, Paul delivered a 32-point, nine-assist outing Tuesday in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

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The two performances alone can be described as dominant, and each provides evidence of Paul's well-earned status as one of the NBA's greatest point guards.

But to have them come in consecutive games makes this arguably the best two-game stretch of CP3's career.

Paul's Finals debut was so dominant that it placed him in the same conversation as Michael Jordan, as he is the first player since Jordan to record at least 30 points and eight assists in his Finals debut.

Plus, the hot streak from Paul extends beyond his previous two outings. In the Western Conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets, Paul averaged 25.5 points per game, including 37 points in the fourth and final game of the series.

This type of scoring binge represents uncharted waters for Paul, as explained by Nick Wright on "First Things First."

Wright contended that if Paul is able to keep up his torrid pace, the Suns are in the driver's seat in the Finals.

"If all of a sudden Chris Paul, the Point God, is going to go from being a 19 point a game guy to a 33 point a game guy, then yes, the Suns will win the title," he said.

The Suns are 3-0 in games in which Paul has scored at least 30 points in this postseason, and they're 6-1 in games in which he scores at least 20.

What's more, while his scoring has taken center stage in these playoffs, Paul has long been known for his leadership and winning intangibles.

Even those traits have been amplified this postseason, according to Skip Bayless, who went into detail on "Undisputed" about how Paul has become an even greater leader this year.

"I need to see this get finished off, but if this does get finished off, it's going to shoot him way up my ranks in leadership," Bayless said.

The NBA Finals are far from finished, but the Suns have to feel good about themselves after Game 1, and that has a lot to do with Paul being in their corner.

If he can continue this hot streak, it isn't far-fetched to say that the Suns could close this series out the same way they opened it.

As winners.

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