Chris Paul masterclass inspires Phoenix Suns to 2-0 lead in NBA playoffs

By Ben Church, CNN

Updated 0933 GMT (1733 HKT) May 5, 2022

Phoenix guard Chris Paul led the way for the Suns against the Dallas Mavericks.

(CNN)NBA veteran Chris Paul led thePhoenix Suns to victory against the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA playoffs on Wednesday in his quest for his first NBA championship.

Paul, who turns 37 on Friday, racked up 28 points, six rebounds and eight assists to inspire the Suns to a 129-109 win in the Western Conference best-of-seven playoff series.It looked likely to be a tight game going into the fourth quarter as the Suns were only up by six, 89-83, but Phoenix turned it into a comfortable win after scoring 40 points in the final period, including 14 from Paul.«You guys tell me, you're watching the same thing,» fellow Suns guard Devin Booker — who had a team-high 30 points — told reporters when asked about Paul's longevity. «It impresses us every time we see it, but it doesn't surprise us. It's just the will to win.»Read MoreThe Suns head to Dallas with a 2-0 lead and will hope Paul can keep coming up clutch. The 36-year-old, however, is keeping his feet on the ground. «You've just got to lean on the work,» Paul told reporters, explaining his ability to keep playing at the highest level. «It all goes back to the work. »You can't cheat the game. You've got to do the strength and conditioning, you've got to lift, you've got to get your rest, you got to get your shots up.«When you do that, you live with the results.»Dallas star Luka Doncic did his best to keep his team in it with a standout 35 points, five rebounds and seven assists on 13-of-22 shooting, but little else came from a tame Mavs side, leading coach Jason Kidd to ask the rest of his squad for more.«He had a great game, but no one else