Chris Paul bumps Kawhi Leonard’s shoulder after Game 2 win
Chris Paul turned the Los Angeles Clippers into contenders after decades of being a joke. For all of his efforts, the Clippers never advanced past the second round. As a result, Paul became the focus of cruel jokes. Along the way, he also gained a reputation for being a “dirty player.” These accusations followed him to the Rockets, Thunder, and now the Suns. Last night, those accusations ramped up after Paul seemingly intentionally bumped Kawhi Leonard on the shoulder after winning Game 2.
Chris Paul grew frustrated with the Clippers’ lack of playoff success in 2017. Most fans and critics agreed that when the Clippers blew the 3-1 lead to the Rockets, that was truly their last chance. However, their then-coach, Doc Rivers, tried to convince the team to stay together. He used the example of the Karl Malone-John Stockton Utah Jazz. That team stayed together for nearly twenty years, but failed to win a title. After that, CP3 was traded to the Houston Rockets.
Chris Paul was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 2020. Behind strong play from Devin Booker, the Suns were already figuring out how to win. The addition of Paul took them from not even making the playoffs to making the NBA Finals. In addition, they were up 2-0, before losing to Giannis’ Bucks. Ever since, the Suns have had playoff struggles. Even with Kevin Durant, they lost Game 1 vs. the Clippers. In Game 2, the Suns won, but Chris Paul is facing backlash for bumping Kawhi Leonard’s shoulder.
Chris Paul bumps Kawhi Leonard’s shoulder after Game 2 win
Probably nothing, but interesting moment postgame pic.twitter.com/NYvORUniLT
— Jackclippers (@JackclipsLA) April 19, 2023
