CP3 not sweating 1st Finals spotlight: 'It's still basketball'
Chris Paul has advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in his Hall of Fame-worthy career, and he's now four wins against the battered Milwaukee Bucks away from lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
However, if the Phoenix Suns point guard is feeling the heat of standing at center stage, he didn't show it during Monday's pre-Finals press conference.
"It's still basketball," Paul told reporters. "I think we're all locked in to the goal at hand."
"It's weird, no games being on," the 36-year-old added. "I usually watch games every day, so that's probably the part that sucks the most. But I'd rather be playing than not."
Paul has contributed like a superstar when on the floor, though he battled a shoulder injury in the first round versus the Los Angeles Lakers and was sidelined to start the Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Clippers after entering the league's health and safety protocols.
The veteran is averaging 18.1 points, 8.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in just under 33 minutes per game over 14 appearances this postseason, with 40.5% shooting from the beyond the arc.
Still, despite the perhaps career-redefining task at hand, Paul preached keeping the spectacle of the NBA Finals in perspective.
"You always gotta remember, this is a kid's game that we play," he said. "This is a blessing and opportunity to play this game.
"It's balance. I think our team knows when to lock in and when we got to enjoy the moment and enjoy ourselves."