Chris Paul had a night to forget on Nov. 3. The Golden State Warriors battled their way to a 141-139 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, securing their first-ever in-season tournament victory in the process. Despite playing 28 minutes of basketball, Paul produced just 1 point for his team. However, he did chip in with a game-high 13 assists.
Speaking to the media following the Warriors’ victory, Paul discussed the “luxury” of being able to struggle shooting the ball and still win. Golden State’s roster is teeming with offensive talent. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are two of the best shooters in the league and can carry their team on nights when other players struggle.
“Yeah, the s*** ain’t going in. The good thing about it is, I know that that’s not the normal. But, it’s crazy to think that I can score one point or two points, and we can still win the game. That’s a nice luxury to have.”
With their victory over the Thunder, the Warriors now sit atop the Western Conference with five wins from their first six games. The Denver Nuggets are tied with Steve Kerr‘s team, while the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans are half a game behind.
"I can score one point or two points and we still win the game."
Chris Paul on the "luxury" of playing for the Warriors 😎 pic.twitter.com/E5Qsn9Kef8
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 4, 2023
Paul’s presence within the rotation has been a huge boost to the Warriors to begin the season. There will likely be no concerns following his tough shooting night. Instead, the team will turn their focus onto their next game, and look at ways to create some separation down the stretch.