Suns guard Chris Paul wins Player of the Week

If you’re going to play your 36-year old point guard way too many minutes in the middle of a pandemic- and injury-riddled season, he might as well guide you on a 10-game winning streak and Player of the Week honors!

Phoenix Suns 36-year old point guard Chris Paul has been named the Western Conference Player of the Week for Jan. 24-30, the NBA announced today.

Paul averaged 22.3 points, 12.8 assists and 7.5 rebounds in the four games, shooting 54.2 FG% and 58.8 3FG%, his highest scoring output over a four-game stretch this season. An 11-time NBA All-Star, Paul scored 20+ points in all four games on the week, his longest streak of 20+ point games since the 2017-18 season when he posted five-straight such games.

He also averaged 39 minutes per game in that stretch too, a lot of minutes for an aging point guard with an injury history. But with backup Cameron Payne sidelined by a wrist injury and third string guard Elfrid Payton struggling to run the offense, Paul has put in the work to do whatever it takes to get the win.

Paul barely missed a triple-double last Monday against the Jazz, finishing with 27 points, 13 assists and 9 rebounds in the first win over the Jazz. Then he actually DID get his 18th-career regular season triple-double and second of the season with 21 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds two games later in a 134-124 win over Minnesota.

The league leader in assists per game this season, Paul finished the week with 20 points, 8 rebounds and a season-high 19 assists, the most by any player in the league this season, on Jan. 30 against San Antonio.

This marks Paul’s 14^th-career NBA Player of the Week honor and his first since winning in December of 2017. Paul has helped guide the Suns through their current 10-game winning streak, just the second time in franchise history Phoenix has notched multiple 10+ game winning streaks in the same season.

Paul led the Suns to the NBA Finals a season ago, and this year has them with the best record in franchise history after 49 games and the inside track to the top seed in the West playoffs that begin in April.

He will likely be named to his 12th All-Star game later this week, and likely joined by teammate Devin Booker. Reserves will be announced on Thursday, February 8.

Next Up

Paul and the Suns look to extend their winning streak to 11 tomorrow night against the Brooklyn Nets at 8 p.m. MT on TNT. Phoenix will then take to the road for a four-game road trip before returning to Phoenix for a four-game home stand ahead of NBA All-Star 2022 in Cleveland.