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Chris Paul · Validated long ago through his legacy of improving every team in his path, Chris Paul allowed his Hall of Fame-bound leadership to guide a memorable milestone on November 19, 2024: the San Antonio Spurs’ first-ever NBA Cup victory. Finding vintage form with a near-victory on the line, Paul — overcoming both a seemingly-bothersome thumb, and a defender known to be quite a handful — dribbles rhythmically towards the right 3-point wing amidst Alex Caruso’s hounding defense. Seeing himself slightly uncovered after a pair of crossovers, Paul lets fly a cold-blooded stepback 3-pointer, breathing life into Frost Bank Arena with victory as a nine-and-a-half-point underdog officially imminent. Paul’s unparalleled command of the game helped San Antonio offset the absence of both its 7-foot-3 soon-to-be-megastar, and its other top two scorers against one of the Western Conference’s absolute elites. Overwhelming the Oklahoma City Thunder throughout, Paul diced his former team for 14 points (on 5-of-10 shooting), five rebounds, 11 assists, and four 3-pointers. · State of Mint