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There’s an old saying that some people are simply born under a bad star. Whether you believe in fate or not, the career of Chris Paul, one of the most accomplished and talented point guards in NBA history, seems to give credence to that theory. Despite his numerous accolades and accomplishments, the elusive NBA Championship ring continues to slip through his fingers.
Bad Fit in Golden State?
His trade to the Warriors brings a new set of challenges. Historically, Golden State’s game revolves around a fast-paced, shoot-from-anywhere, share-the-ball approach, orchestrated by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. This style contrasts starkly with Paul’s, which involves meticulous half-court sets and a slowed-down pace that allows him to dissect defenses and create opportunities. Surely Chris Paul and Steve Kerr will be able to put their two brilliant basketball minds together to come up with a solid offensive flow, but the jury is still out on whether the rest of the Warriors roster is prepared for that pace.
Sharing the court with two-time MVP Curry, whose game flourishes when he has the ball in his hands, could disrupt Paul’s command of the offense. Add to this mix Thompson, an elite shooter, and Green, an indispensable facilitator, and you have a potential logjam.
Furthermore, the Warriors’ lean roster raises concerns about their ability to compete against physically imposing Western Conference rivals. The Denver Nuggets, buoyed by reigning MVP Nikola Jokic’s size and versatility, could prove to be a difficult match-up. Likewise, the Lakers, with Anthony Davis and LeBron, and the Suns, with the size of Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton and the new offensive weapon in Bradley Beal, pack a lot of power that Golden State may struggle to handle on the defensive end.
Bad Luck Magnet
Understanding why Paul has yet to win a championship requires delving into his postseason history. Over the years, his playoff narratives have often been tainted by ill-timed injuries and episodes of underperformance.
During his tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul was part of the “Lob City” spectacle alongside Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Despite their regular-season prowess, the Clippers often faltered in the playoffs, with injuries to Paul and Griffin playing a significant role in their inability to advance deeper.
In Houston, Paul and James Harden formed one of the most formidable backcourts. However, the 2018 Western Conference Finals epitomized Paul’s bad luck: nursing a 3-2 lead against the Warriors, a hamstring injury sidelined him, leading to another playoff disappointment.
More recently, Paul led the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks. After a promising 2-0 series lead, the Suns’ fortunes waned, and Paul’s performance dropped in the decisive games, marking another close, yet fruitless championship bid.
Looking ahead, the uncertainty surrounding Paul’s fit with the Warriors’ playing style, coupled with the strength of the competition in the Western Conference, paints a challenging picture. Paul’s past playoff disappointments also factor into this equation.
Can he successfully adapt his game to sync with the Warriors’ existing system? Will the team find a way to contend with the physical powerhouses in the West? Can he defy the narrative of his postseason jinx? While it’s not implausible for Paul to secure that elusive ring, it seems, given the circumstances, that he might indeed bow out of his career ringless.
NBA FAQs
How do you win NBA pick'em pool?
In order to win an NBA Pick'Em pool, players must have the most points at the end of the season. For each correct pick during the regular season, members will receive one point (customizable based on the pool commissioner). Some pools will choose picks based on the spread or straight up.
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How to play an NBA basketball pool?
The way one plays a basketball pool varies on the game type. For example, in Pick'em Pools, you simply pick every game each week.
How to run a weekly basketball pool?
In order to run a basketball pool, you must first crown yourself as Pool Commissioner. Begin by picking a game type like Survivor or Pick'Em. You'll want to establish rules before inviting friends, family, and colleagues to join. As commissioner, you make the rules and also need to enforce them equally and fairly.
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In NBA Survivor, the last player standing wins. The name of the game is to make it to the next week. A member will select one game from all the games in that given week. If members choose the correct winner, they move on to the next week. If they pick incorrectly, they are eliminated from the contest.
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In an NBA Survivor pool, players choose one NBA team each week that they believe will win. They may only pick a team one time per season. Picks are made "straight up," not using a point spread system. If their pick is correct, they survive until the next week. An incorrect pick eliminates the player from the pool for the remainder of the season.
What is a basketball pool?
"Basketball Pool" is a broad term for a group of people competitively guessing the outcome of one or more basketball game. There are many types of formats, each assigning winners differently. They can be played informally between friends or through a more formalized system.
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A basketball pool generally requires the creation of a shareable spreadsheet (like Google Sheets) so that members may pick teams. Then depending on the game type, creators must use several kinds of formulas (e.g. CountIF), data validation, and conditional formatting. Or, you can just use basketball pool hosting services like RunYourPool where we do all the work for you!
How do you win NBA Playoff Bracket Pool?
In NBA Playoff Bracket pools, the winning entry is the team with the most points at the end of Playoffs. Members try to pick the winner of each playoff series. For each series, they also pick how many games they think the series will go. Points are awarded for each winning pick, with bonus points for how close they come to the correct series length
What is an NBA Playoff Bracket Pool?
In an NBA Playoff Bracket pool, players pick the winner of each NBA Playoff series. Commissioners can choose to have members receive bonus points for guessing the series length. Points increase as the tournament progresses (points per round are configurable by the commissioner). The winning entry is the player with the most points at the end of the playoffs.
Are there other Playoff Pools?
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How to set up a basketball pool?
To set up a basketball pool, you'll need to first choose a pool type like Survivor or Pick'em. Then, you'll need to set the ground rules. As pool commissioner, you'll enforce these rules and make sure the game runs smoothly throughout the season. Many commissioners use pool hosting sites like RunYourPool to make it easier and more engaging.
