NBA playoffs 2021: Which superstar was the MVP of the conference finals?
The conference finals have come to an end, as the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks will face off in the NBA Finals. The question is: Which star was most valuable during the finals? Is it Devin Booker, who played like a superstar throughout the entire Suns-Clippers series? What about Middleton, who turned in some of his best playoff performances after Antetokounmpo went down with a knee injury? How high will big performances from George and Paul rate them? Panel of NBA experts makes its pick…
And the MVP is Chris Paul.
Chris Paul’s 41-point effort in Game 6 helped punch the Suns’ ticket to the NBA Finals.
A lot of times, you get an idea of a player’s value most when they are not there. And in this series, without Chris Paul for the opening two games, the Suns actually won both. But don’t let that convince you that Paul’s presence wasn’t part of those first two wins. Paul’s influence over style of play and expectation of taking care of the ball was in player’s minds.
When Paul returned, he showed signs of rust. It had the potential to be the ultimate letdown in his career: a 3-1 series lead blown, and against a team missing its best player. But on the road, in his old confines of Staples Center, Paul orchestrated brilliance in closing out the Clippers. With 41 points and the kind of ruthless daggering that eventually broke Patrick Beverley’s spirit, Paul led his team to the Finals, finally.
Chris Paul: Conference Finals Stats
Games played – 4
Points per game – 24.0
Field goal percentage – 41.7
3-point percentage – 37.5
Assists per game – 8.8
Rebounds per game – 3.3
Steals per game – 1.8
