NBA Game Reviews: New Years Day, 2021

1. Chris Paul is the most underrated closer in the NBA

Wherever Chris Paul has gone, winning has followed. That isn’t a coincidence. CP3 is one of the best passers in NBA history who’s proven to make his teammates around him better. Not only has his IQ positively influenced his passing abilities on the floor, it’s also made him a leader and a prototype veteran player that uses wisdom and experience to beat his matchups and find different ways in every possession to put the ball in the basket. 

His IQ has now transformed his mindset into being a cold-blooded killer. Time and time again, CP3 is making the plays at the end of the game to lead his team to victory. No matter if he’s wearing a white Clippers jersey, red Rockets jersey, blue OKC jersey, or orange Suns uniform, Paul can be witnessed putting the final touches on victories in the game’s most important moments. He doesn’t get enough credit for his clutch factor, but the film and stats show he’s a top-3 player during crunch time and steps up when it matters most. 

2. Don’t be surprised if DC is the 1st NBA Playoff team to ever start 0-5

COLORS KEY | FULL WIZARDS FUTURE OUTLOOK

Washington got off to as bad of a start as possible, losing all five of their first five games of the season. Interestingly, Russell Westbrook played in four of them, and got a triple-double in each one, yet it wasn’t enough to translate to wins. With Westbrook sitting for the second time this season already, the Wiz finally got their first non-bubble win since the NBA season was suspended in March. 

Even without suiting them up, Russ still had a positive impact on DC in this game as shown by him teaching some of the youngsters tips on reading the game and “rocking the baby” with Bradley Beal. It couldn’t have been expected for Russ to click with this new team right from the jump. Two of the most ball-dominant players in the league had never played a game together before. It was always going to take time for this team to get it together. 

Now that they have Rui Hachimura back and balling as a Sophomore, along with a solid supporting cast around them, the Wiz have the roster that can contend (especially if they add a premier defender at the deadline). As they gain more chemistry and continuity, they can get over their early-season hurdles and potentially become the first team ever to go from 0-5 to clinching a postseason berth. If that would ever happen in the NBA, it would be a newly-constructed team like DC with early injuries they had to overcome in a season like 2020-21 where momentum can change as quick as ever without fans in the stands. 

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