This one hurts. Chris Paul was one of my favorite players growing up, but his spiral is apparent. CP3 started the ’21-22 season(Oct-Feb16) averaging 14.9 PPG, on 11.5 attempts good for .487 FG% with a .330 3PT%. Paul had a shooting hand injury his in mid-February and never returned to form(also may have had a hamstring injury, that was a bit unclear but wildly speculated). CP3 was out roughly one calendar month. In his 7 regular season game return, he averaged 13.1 PPG on 9.9 attempts good for .551 FG% with a .176 3PT%(FG went up because he took less 3’s and more inside shots).
He was in line with his career True Shooting % average and down about 2 full attempts from career in ’21-22. This season in 3 games, (yes it is early but his game seems to have fallen off a cliff) his TS% is .386% and he is down almost 4 attempts a game. Not to mention he got benched.
This season, CP3 is 1/11 from deep. averaging 7.7 ppg. 6,10,7 are his point totals by game. His 10 point game, he had 8 points in regulation and 2 in OT. In regulation he is averaging 7 points good for 291 FG%. Paul’s per36 has him at 8.4 PPG. He just can’t score effectively anymore.
CP3 is still in the upper echelon of passers in the association (10.7 APG). His per36 is second best of his career. Monty Williams might just lean into him setting up passes for Booker at this point who is off to an insanely hot start (almost .100 better this year compared to last in both FG% and TS%). That will cool off mostly because he is shoot .529 % from deep, but I don’t think that changes vs the Warriors.
Warriors have given up the following to opposing starting *point guards this season:
Westbrook – 19 (shot .583% FG and as much hate as Russ gets he is still more athletic and better at getting to the rim than CP3, he just can’t shoot with any range)
Beverley – 3 (20% on 5 attempts)
KCP – 17 (shot 50% on 14 attempts, CP3 won’t get 14 attempts)
Fox – 26 (lowest total of the season on 20 attempts, high tempo game)
Take CP3 Under 13.5 Points -125 1 Unit (BetMGM)
– I am already seeing this at 12.5 on other books. (Fanduel) You probably won’t get 13.5 again if he goes under again.
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