Grading the vet: CP3 Immediately shows why Spurs made right decision

The San Antonio Spurs started the 2024 season with an impressive opening half, but the experience and talent of the Dallas Mavericks team won out in the end. The Mavericks looked like a team ready to make another title run. And while there were some bright spots for the Spurs, it's clear that this team has a lot to improve on if they want to break their streak of missed playoff appearances.

One of the more impressive points of the night for San Antonio was the play of the newly acquired Chris Paul. It will take some time to get used to the sight of Paul in a Spurs uniform, but it didn't take more than a few minutes to see the impact he's had on San Antonio's offense.

Paul brings calming veteran presence to young Spurs in season debut

CP3 played with the same level of poise and pace that he's had for years. Calmly running through his options in pick and roll, Paul would easily shoot a quick look into a corner for an open three or find a cutting teammate. It was Point Guard 101 taught by the Point God. It was something the Spurs sorely needed.

His shot wasn't there; he went just 1-6 from the field. But timely positioning on the glass and on the offensive end helped him finish the night with an impressive seven rebounds & eight assists.

Frankly, it shouldn't matter if Paul scores much on any given night. The Spurs didn't bring him in to hunt for his own shots; they brought him to San Antonio to run the offense and be a veteran presence for the young Spurs. And he shined in that roll tonight.

You could feel the energy shift every time Paul left the court. The Spurs might have moved quicker, but they moved with less direction. They lacked structure; they got themselves into trouble, and turnovers mounted.

The disparity between how the Spurs looked when Paul was on the court vs. when he sat tells us two things: first, the Spurs need to see significant improvement from Tre Jones & Stephon Castle if they want to be a playoff contender. Secondly, Brian Wright hit an absolute home run on this signing.

Paul's shot will come around, and it's not every night that Victor Wembanyama will go 5-18 from the floor. Better days are ahead. But under the steady hand of Chris Paul, the Spurs offense looks like it could be significantly improved from last year.

Grade A-