NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CLIPPERS VS. SUNS

June 24, 2021

Chris Paul

Phoenix Suns

Game 3: Postgame

Clippers 106, Suns 92

Q. First of all, welcome back. How would you sum up what happened out there tonight?

CHRIS PAUL: They just outplayed us tonight, you know what I mean? We didn't make shots. You could tell they had a lot more energy. I got to be better. I shot terrible. I've got to pick up the pace. We'll be ready Game 4.

Q. Did you get to shoot at all? I know you're not supposed to do any basketball while you were out, but did you get to keep up with your game at all while you were out? Devin said he thought you were trying to get your wind a few times.

CHRIS PAUL: Yeah, I messed around a little on the court at my house, but other than that, I'm just happy to be out here playing. There's a lot of people out here in the world who dealt with this and don't get the opportunity that I have. So I'm just grateful to be back out here playing.

Q. We haven't heard from you since. Obviously so difficult. Take us through the reaction and then the acceptance and the ability to get back out here.

CHRIS PAUL: S--- happens, and it did. I'm here now. So I'm cool.

Q. In the third quarter that's where the Clippers outscored your team. What did you see go wrong?

CHRIS PAUL: We were taking the ball out of the net. Mann got aggressive. If you watch them all playoffs long, that's when they've been really good, the third quarter. We've got to see what we can do better.

We missed Cam Payne. I've been at home watching these last two games, and I saw the pace that he was playing with. Late in the game, we started to do a little bit. So let's look at the film and try to make sure we're better, not only in just the third quarter, but all game long.

Q. It's been a few years since you've played a playoff game in Los Angeles.

CHRIS PAUL: I played a couple here a few weeks ago.

Q. Oh, yeah. (Laughter).

It's been a long year, Chris. I'm curious, though, you've experienced a ton when it comes to weird stuff that's happened to you in the playoffs. What have you taken from those experiences? Do you feel more equipped to handle a curveball kind of like the one you got thrown?

CHRIS PAUL: Absolutely, absolutely. Things could be a lot worse. Like I said, I'm here now, got an unbelievable team in Phoenix and I've got the best support system you could absolutely have. So ain't nobody over here feeling sorry. Whatever happened is in the past, and you move on.

Q. I know you've played so many games in your life, I would imagine a lot of it is like riding a bike. But when you're out for 10 days, what is the toughest thing to get back as far as just the nuances of the game tonight?

CHRIS PAUL: I don't know. That's a good question. I can't wait to get home and watch the film from the game. It's a lot easier playing than it is watching it at home, I'll tell you that much. My nerves were terrible these last two games watching it at home. It felt good to get back out there and play. Now we've got some unfinished business.

Q. Just how is your body feeling tonight? You played a little longer than you normally would have if Cam had been in there. So how does your body feel?

CHRIS PAUL: It was cool. I was good. I was good. I feel like I'll feel even better the next game. Yeah, I was cool. I was prepared.

Q. It was reported you were out in L.A. to do a surprise thing for your family, and you found out about the health and safety protocols during your absence. How did you find out? Have you been racking your brain wondering how that could have happened?

CHRIS PAUL: I was laying in bed with my kids and got a text from Brady [Howe]. It is what it is. I dealt with it. Anybody with kids, anytime you're going through something, the hardest part is being away from your kids and your family. Once you get over the shock of what's happening, to hell with how and why. You just start figuring out how you can get better.

Like I said, I've got the best team in the world you could possibly have, and I'm here and I'm grateful.

Q. I just wanted to ask you a little bit about it's been a minute since your team has lost. You've kind of been in this position before. What do you say to a team to kind of reset for the next game?

CHRIS PAUL: Get your rest. Get some water, hydrate, get ready for Game 4. That's about it. That's what we say. We'll come in tomorrow and look at it and see what we did well, see what we didn't do well and get ready for a game on, what, Saturday? Yes.

Q. Talk about Book. Do you think the mask affected him at all? And did you guys talk much about it? What did you think about his injury?

CHRIS PAUL: They happen. I told him Game 2, as soon as it happened, first thing that popped in my mind was Steve Nash.

He got the mask. He's fine. We're not one of those teams looking for excuses and all that stuff. Give them their credit, they played really well tonight. We'll get ready for Game 4.

Q. Along those lines, you actually broke your nose back early in your Clippers tenure and had to wear a mask for a few games. Do you remember that at all? Did it affect you, affect your play at all?

CHRIS PAUL: I remember I did have to wear a mask for a few games. I don't know if I broke my nose. I don't know what it was.

No, it was cool. I did it for a few games, and then I was all right.

Q. I wonder, you spent these last two years playing damn near every game, and then you got a game of these stakes that you had to watch remotely, but with what this crew did, what did you see? What was it like for you to be FaceTiming with them afterward?

CHRIS PAUL: It's kind of a blur now. I feel like that was like three weeks ago. It's great, man. I talked to a few guys around the league who called, checked on me and whatnot. But I think the biggest thing, they called and said they just loved the way our team is. A few guys, like stars in our league, called and said, man, just to see the way that you guys really play together, play for each other, that's real, our relationships and stuff.

It's genuine. It's a fun group to be around, and when you're around a group like that, you want to win. You don't ever want the season to end because you actually like being around each other.

Q. Obviously, I saw you and Jevon [Carter] before the game, felt like you were taking it all in being back on the floor. Now that this game is over, how much is you get back to what you need to do?

CHRIS PAUL: Just so you know, we do that before every game.

Q. I didn't know that.

CHRIS PAUL: I'm just telling you. Right before the national anthem, that's part of our pregame routine, that's what me and J.C. do, nothing more, nothing less. It's all good. But I'm just telling you, you're going to see it again on Saturday.

Q. We sit in the nosebleeds.

CHRIS PAUL: Man, talk to the right people.

(Laughter).