CHICAGO — Chris Paul plays basketball for the city of New Orleans, the trodden citizens resuscitated by sports. He plays for his grandfather, who was murdered while Paul was in high school. He plays for his college coach, Skip Prosser, who passed away in 2007. He plays for his parents, who taught him to love the game; his fans, who inspire him to seize the game.
But right now, doggone it, the humble Chris Paul is also playing for himself.
After a forgettable 2009-10 marred by multiple injuries and a coaching change, Paul now plays possessed.
Asked if Paul desperately wants to return to the best-point-guard-in- the-league debate, his good buddy Carmelo Anthony chuckled.
“I know Chris,” said Melo, whose Nuggets play the Bulls tonight. “So, yeah. I know him. That’s my guy, so I know he wants to prove that he is one of the top point guards in the NBA. I think by his injury, a lot of people stopped talking about him, which is normal. Any time you’re not in the picture, people tend to forget about you sometimes, but I’m glad to see him back and doing what he’s doing.”
What he’s doing is dominating. The New Orleans Hornets are 6-0, and it’s not like they had a cupcake nonconference-like schedule to open the season. All six opponents went to the playoffs last season. They beat the Nuggets, for instance, thanks to a fourth-quarter assault by CP3. They beat the Spurs the next night — in San Antonio. Last Friday, they took down the Miami Heat — the Miami Heat! — at New Orleans Arena. And then, on a back-to-back, they won the next night in Milwaukee.
And it’s not like the Hornets are supposed to be, you know, good. With a suspect bench and some unfulfilled big contracts eating up cap space, very few folks had them finishing in the top eight out West. Right now, they’re at the top.
The dazzling, dizzying Paul averages a double-double — 18.7 points and 10.2 assists (third in the league) — as well as six rebounds a game.
“Chris Paul is Chris Paul,” said Anthony, his 2008 Olympic teammate. “He’s going to go out there and play the same way and do what he’s got to do on the court to win the basketball game.”
It’s a long season, to be sure. The Hornets may fade. But right now, they’re off to their best start in franchise history — and four of their next seven games are against the Clippers, Cavaliers, Kings and Clippers again.
