33 of 34

USA TODAY Sports

Scoring 17/20

There were a few signs that age was catching up—by a bit, not entirely—to the scorer known as Chris Paul. He settled for threes rather than using his quick first step on his patented pull-up jumpers from the elbows, as he couldn't afford to tax his body with the latter play all that often. Additionally, he didn't attack the basket quite as often, taking fewer shots per game from the charity stripe than he has since leaving Wake Forest (3.9). And still, he was quite the threat in the points column night in and night out.

Non-Scoring Offense 24/25

Paul was the only point guard to receive a perfect score for his facilitating, as he's a master of racking up assists without coughing up the ball. No one displays this type of command over an offense, using every bit of motion to open up opportunities for his teammates. He's only losing a single point for his work off the ball, as he's not quite deadly enough as a spot-up shooter to earn perfection, nor does he spend enough time cutting to make up for it.

Defense 37/40

Thanks to his smarts and undying intensity, Paul remains one of the very best defenders at his position. Going up against him in an isolation setting is a terrible idea, but it's not like it's much easier to confuse him in a pick-and-roll situation. Paul has seen all the tricks, and he knows how to control a game while his team is on defense as well as anyone, even if his off-ball work was a bit more undisciplined than normal this year.

Rebounding 4/5

Paul has always been a phenomenal pound-for-pound rebounder, and this year was no exception. Though he doesn't post an inordinate number of opportunities, he makes the most of them and isn't afraid to weasel away the ball from an unsuspecting frontcourt player who doesn't realize this pesky rebounder is waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

Intangibles 10/10

Does Paul's constant berating of officials, complaining and doing everything possible to gain an advantage annoy members of other teams and some fans? Absolutely, but it also helps his team out. He may not be warm and cuddly on the court, but his teammates certainly have to respect his willingness to do what it takes—and then some.

Overall 92/100

Paul remains the NBA's resident point god, even if his positional crown was taken away from him in 2014-15. He still plays like a reincarnation of Isiah Thomas, though it often looks as if he can do even more with the ball in his hand. Though this LAC standout may not have the highest grade at his position, he's still the one you want to watch if looking for a textbook example of how to thrive at the 1.