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‘Iron Sharpens Iron’: Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker Discusses Chris Paul’s Impact on Him & the MVP Contention

Published 04/25/2021, 9:30 PM EDT

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The Phoenix Suns have risen to the lofty expectations they attracted during last year’s 8-0 Orlando Bubble show. They are a 42 win team with just 12 more games to go in the regular season. A major cornerstone behind this substantial success has been the entry of Chris Paul into the squad.

CP3 is someone who uplifts the game of everyone around him, and that has been evident in the Suns’ groundbreaking performance. The other important crew member in the Suns’ jet plane, Devin Booker, is a clear admirer of Captain Chris. He recently gave an interview and made a strong case for his side in the WC.

Devin Booker gave an insider’s look into Chris Paul’s abilities

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In his one-on-one conversation with ESPN’s Mallika Andrews, the young shooting guard explained how they’re eyeing a deep playoff reach this year. Also, he discussed the various facets of Chris Paul and what he brings to the table.

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The 24-YO revealed how CP3 got them to believe in themselves and expressed, “I remember we’re talking about the playoffs and Chris yelled out in the locker room. He was like, ‘16 teams make the playoffs, I think we’re going for it’. His energy and his passion behind that statement, I was like, oh yeah, we’re on the same page.”

The last time the Suns took a tour to the playoffs was in 2010. So, it is after losing 10 years that they’re finally assured a postseason seat.

Also, personally, for Booker, his gameplay has improved after working out with CP3. The star tagged those sessions as “intense” and detailed, “The iron sharpens iron mentality. Chris is not gonna take a day off, he is not gonna take the possession off. I’m inspired by him in so many different ways. This man just passed Magic Johnson on the all-time.”

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The Phoenix Suns veteran for the MVP award?

It is true that the Suns are now playing the CP3 brand of basketball. However, Chris Paul’s brand has mostly failed in the postseason.

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So, it will be interesting to see if they can change that. But as far as the MVP award is concerned, Devin Booker believes that the 35-YO assist king deserves the mention.

Just as he added, “We’ll see. I think we’ve to win more games. It’s bigger than the numbers with Chris too. People have to understand the fact it’s just isn’t his points and his assists… keeping people in line, leading every day. That alone should have him in the MVP conversation every single year.”

Most recently, the Suns lost 119-128 to the Nets in a game that saw a head-to-head between Kevin Durant and CP3.

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Still, the Suns are #2 in the league right now and with the firepower from DeAndre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, and Torrey Craig, they can do wonders in the coming time.

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Written by:

Sourabh Singh

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Sourabh Singh is an NBA sports analyst for EssentiallySports, who has been working with the site since May 2020. Prior to this, he functioned as Managing Editor at WittyFeed, followed by a stint at Decathlon. The Sports Management graduate leads an active lifestyle, veering to the mountains for off-trail adventures.
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