The first player to lead the league in assists and steals AND finish in the top 10 in scoring. We might as well start there. Only five players led the league in steals and assists since 1974; Paul has done it in consecutive years. If he scores 39 against the Spurs in his final game, he'll become the fourth player to average 23-plus points and 11-plus assists in one season (joining Oscar, Magic and Tiny Archibald). Since the All-Star break, with Tyson Chandler battling injuries and missing 18 games, Paul carried the extra load by averaging a 25-11-6. For the season, he's shooting 50 percent from the field and 87 percent from the line, and his assist-to-turnover ratio is an astonishing 11-to-3. I don't know what's left.

Oh, wait, I know: His supporting cast isn't good. David West is their only other scorer. They have no low-post presence at all. Their best rebounder/shot-blocker (Chandler) struggled all season. They didn't crack the top 12 in FG percentage (currently 14th), 3-point percentage (17th), steals (16th), rebounds (24th), blocks (26th), points scored (26th) or assists (28th), making it only in FT percentage (third), points allowed (fourth) and opposing FG percentage (seventh). Basically, they're a good defensive team that can't rebound, can't shoot very well and can't succeed unless its point guard plays well. And they're going to win 50 games? Huh? Throw in how he kept them together after the demoralizing Chandler trade got vetoed and he's the clear No. 2.