Throughout his career, Chris Paul has always been an elite defensive player, as illustrated by his seven All-NBA defensive first-team selections. During the Golden State Warriors loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, Nov. 16, rookie big man Chet Holmgren discovered why Paul is such a tough defensive opponent.
Holmgren was attempting to overpower the Warriors’ veteran guard in the post. However, he was unable to dislodge Paul from his position. After multiple bumps, the rookie big man conceded defeat and looked to pass the ball out of the post to keep his team’s offensive possession alive.
When the Warriors acquired Paul, the primary talking point surrounded his scoring and playmaking ability and how it would elevate Golden State’s second unit. Yet, he has also helped improve the team’s defense, providing a reliable point-of-attack defender who can also switch onto bigger players in the post.
Chet Holmgren can’t back down Chris Paul in the post 👀
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You can watch Paul’s impressive defensive possession by clicking on the embedded clip above.
