Chris Paul Poised for Success in Warriors' Most Needed Role

There has never been, nor should there be, any internal debate about the best place for Chris Paul among the Warriors. They always knew.

Paul’s greatest value to this team is as the leader of the second unit, a role he transitioned into Sunday in Houston.

After dodging the issue publicly for more than three months, Warriors coach Steve Kerr has finally made it official. His logic was clear in Golden State’s 106-95 win over the Rockets at Toyota Center.

“He’s very good at making everyone better,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters in Houston. “Whether he is in the starting lineup or on the bench, he will impact the game.”

Paul established a second unit — with Gary Payton II, Jonathan Kuminga, Moussa Moody and Dario Saric — that gave the Warriors a commanding 24-8 lead in the second quarter, even when they trailed briefly during the Houston game. He took the lead in the fourth period, and Stephen Curry quickly restored the score with four three-pointers in less than two minutes.

Paul finished with eight points, seven assists and five rebounds. Moreover, he was the team’s best player as well as 22 during his 27 minutes on the floor. Each of the other four members of the second unit also finished in the plus column.

“Did you like that? Who likes new things?” Paul said of his first backup appearance in his 18-year NBA career. “It’s not a matter of whether you like it or not. It’s new. I don’t hate it. It’s not a matter of whether you like it. I like the fact that we won. That was the most important thing.”

In some ways Paul’s management in the first half saved the start. Curry had a quiet first half. Draymond Green, returning after missing training camp and the first two games, committed three turnovers and three fouls in nine minutes. Andrew Wiggins played 28 minutes, including 15 in the first half, and did not intercept any rebounds. Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney were usually solid.

Curry was the last starter out. When he went to the bench with 4:15 remaining in the quarter, the Warriors were scrambling for points and trailing 18-15. When it came back, with 7:42 left in the first half, the second team had given the Warriors a 39-26 lead.

“They were the much better unit in this game, make no mistake about it – largely because I killed our first unit,” Green said. “But they were the much better unit, and Chris is at the forefront of all of that. That will be an advantage for us. When you talk about replacing Steph Curry with Chris Paul, it doesn’t get much better than that.”

Often times in recent seasons and certainly last season, Golden State’s second units have tended to struggle on offense. It was not unusual for threads to evaporate when key players – most notably Curry – sat on the bench. Searching for a solution to the annoying “non-Steve” minutes was a priority last summer.

Which led incoming general manager Mike Dunleavy to Paul. Yes, CP3 has been a long-time enemy. Yes, he is 38 years old. Yes, he paid $30 million this season. And yes, it is known to be somewhat prickly.

But there was no doubt that it was the best curry alternative available on earth.

Through three games, including two starts, Paul continues to search for his shot but has 28 assists and five turnovers. His 5.6-to-1 ratio isn’t sustainable, but the Warriors will be happy with a 4-to-1 ratio. He was 7-for-1 in the first game off the bench in a career that began in 2005, a total of 1,365 games ago.

“I’m figuring it out,” Paul said of his role. “It’s something new. It’s whatever I have to do to help our team win. If it means that, if it means not finishing some games or others.”

CP3’s dual duties were to reduce team turnover and solve for non-Steve minutes. Three games later, Paul has achieved both.

Until this season, Kerr has been content to play in the middle of Carey-Green-Thompson for 35-37 minutes per game. He’s hoping to get enough support from the bench to drop the three in the low 30s, ideally no higher than 32.

“We’ll see how it goes,” Kerr said of his rotation. “Things can change.

“But I like the look tonight. This core was the best five-man unit in the league last year. We have data to tell us, and eyes to tell us, this group knows how to play together.”

The second unit often sabotaged starters last season. CP3 coming off the bench should change that, even if it costs him the longest starting streak to begin an NBA career.

“I’ve always been the same way about competing and doing whatever I have to do to help our team win,” Paul said. “In this role – if that means starting, if that means coming off the bench – I know who I am and what I can do. And with our team it works. It gives us a bigger squad.

“I’ve never been on a team with that kind of depth. I’ve been on really good teams — don’t mix it up — but not necessarily where all these guys can start.

Eleven warriors may be able to start, but the legal limit is five. This was Paul’s first experience outside the starting lineup, and it was a win for the Warriors in almost every respect.

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