Wembanyama's dominant performance overshadows CP3's masterclass

This performance should exhilarate the fans who have been waiting for Chris Paul to leave his mark. The Spurs upended the Utah Jazz 106-88 in Salt Lake City on Halloween, and while Victor Wembanyama is the one who strikes fear into the hearts of opponents, CP3 turned back the clock in a way that should also cause a few night terrors for the next batch of teams on the schedule.

He finished the night with 19 points on 8/13 shots, including three 3-pointers, and added ten assists and two steals to the box score. In his prime, he was a menace on the defensive side of the ball despite his smaller stature, even leading the league in steals six times over the course of his career. So, it's nice to see he can still get after it when the opportunities present themselves.

Paul's expertise was on full display against Utah

It's still very surreal to see Chris Paul wearing silver and black after all the clashes the Spurs have had with this man over the years. He's the architect of one of the most painful memories in recent team history when he banked in a short mid-range shot over the outstretched arms of Tim Duncan to end San Antonio's chance at a repeat title in 2015.

He's always known how to get to his spots to get his shot off, and he turned back the hands of time for Utah, putting that skill on full display. Out of his eight made shots, Paul nailed five of them from the midrange. He masterfully worked screens and used his crafty ball-handling skills to get wherever he wanted on the floor, and it ended with his first double-double of the season.

The Point God's 19-10 made for the 528th double-double of his illustrious career. He's currently 13 in that category in the history of the NBA, four behind Pau Gasol (532), and 16 behind David Robinson (544). LeBron James is ten on the list with 574, but with the way James is still playing, there's no way CP3 will catch him.

Paul had come close to double-digit assists in three of the four games prior to the road game vs. Utah but fell shy one or two each time. He's also scored 14 or more points in three straight games after a slow shooting start. The potential to average a double-double this season is on the board, and Devin Vassell's return could both help and hurt that possibility.

However, Vassell's comeback is overall a major net positive for a San Antonio team currently boasting the fifth-best defense in the NBA. Adding a 20-point, three-level scoring threat who can also defend will do wonders for this team. They'll still need time to adjust to each other, but the early returns are encouraging.