NBA Rumors: Chris Paul May Be Feeling Pressure Of Winning First Finals Stint

The Phoenix Suns jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals as they try to capture the franchise’s first NBA title.

From Chris Paul setting up Deandre Ayton for easy buckets at the rim to Devin Booker doing his best Kobe Bryant impression, the Suns looked as if they were on track to win the title in five games.

But the Milwaukee Bucks woke up.

Giannis Antetokounmpo appears to have his knee fully healed with the way he moved in Game 3, Khris Middleton found his midrange shot, Pat Connaughton caught fire from deep, and Jrue Holiday returned to form.

The Suns were blown out in Game 3, and they were poised for a bounce back in Game 4.

Booker exploded for 42 points after a poor outing in Game 3, and Jae Crowder pitched in with 15 points while shooting 33% from deep.

However, the turnover bug infected the whole team as they turned the ball over 17 times.

What’s most surprising is that five of those 17 turnovers were from the “Point God”.

With 35 seconds remaining on the clock and the team needing a bucket to tie or take the lead, Paul made a crossover to lose Holiday and he slipped and fell, along with the Suns’ hopes of taking a commanding 3-1 lead.

“It was me, I had five of them,” Paul said as he recounts the decisive moment. “It was bad decision making. At the time, we’re down two. I try to crossover right there, slip, turn it over. There were some bad passes in the first half. They got a significant amount of more shots than us, so for me, I’ve got to take care of the ball.”

There is a question that’s lingering in Suns fans’ minds right now as they go home for Game 5: Is “CP3” feeling the pressure of leading a team to the Promised Land?

The leading theory is that Paul’s thoughts could be racing at the prospect of raising the Larry O’Brien trophy after 16 long seasons.

Rarely has the public seen Paul cough up the ball that much in a crucial game, and it’s highly uncharacteristic of him to do so.

Kevin Pelton of ESPN mentioned that his 15 total turnovers over the past three games are the most he’s put up in the same stretch since 2012.

Paul might not admit it, but Finals jitters may have gotten the best of him, and when you add in the fact that he’s playing with a torn ligament in his shooting hand, it’s a possible explanation for his play.

Booker has been playing with a broken nose since the Western Conference Finals and he’s doing his best to carry the offensive load that Paul currently can’t.

But if there’s one thing about “CP3” that people should know by now is that when he bounces back, he does it in the most otherworldly way possible.

He’s made a career of stepping up in the biggest moments, most notably in this game-sealing circus shot in 2013 against the San Antonio Spurs.

Suns head coach Monty Williams has a tall task ahead of them, but he believes that their Game 4 mistakes are correctable.

The Suns have a home record of 8-2 thus far, and they’ll look to take Game 5 in convincing fashion on Saturday, July 17 at 9:00 PM ET.