In a historic move, 12-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul, known for his prolific career as a starting point guard, embraced a bench role for the first time in his career during the Warriors’ 106-95 victory over the Rockets in Houston.
Despite the change in his on-court position, Paul’s impact was still notable, as he contributed 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists in 27 minutes of play.
Teammate Draymond Green lauded Paul’s selfless approach and his significant influence on the Warriors, emphasizing the positive message it sends to the team.
Green, known for his leadership and dedication to team chemistry, expressed admiration for Paul’s willingness to adapt to the new role.
Acknowledging Paul’s stature as a future first-ballot Hall of Famer and one of the greatest point guards in the game, Green emphasized the impact of Paul’s acceptance of the bench role on team dynamics.
“It means a lot,” Green said about Paul coming off the bench. “Chris Paul’s a Hall of Fame player, will be first ballot Hall of Famer and one of the greatest point guard to ever play this game. For him to be willing to take a bench role on this team, it sets a tone, it sends a message.
“When you got a first ballot Hall of Famer that’ll go to the bench with no complaints and then lead that unit and come out – what he’s plus 22 today or something like that – that says a lot. Those are the types of things that you feed off of and you try to build off of.”
The Warriors, with a roster featuring renowned talents such as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, value cohesion and a collective mindset as essential elements for success. Green highlighted the importance of unity within the team, particularly after the challenges they faced in the previous season.
“If a first ballot Hall of Famer can come off the bench, there’s probably only two other people that can argue that and that’s Steph [Curry] and Klay [Thompson] that you can even put in that category,” Green said. “So everybody else got to fall in line as well.”
By commending Paul’s team-oriented approach, Green underscored the significance of camaraderie and mutual support among players, highlighting Paul’s exemplary conduct as a valuable source of inspiration and motivation for the entire Warriors squad.
“I think that’s important especially with us coming off the year that we had last year. You understand the things that it takes to win. One of those, one very important one is the camaraderie and the togetherness of the group,” the four-time NBA champion said.
