Drawing fouls is a skill. This gets lost because to fans, it feels like manipulation and "cheating." But being able to absorb contact and finish is a tactical ability with huge impact, and drawing fouls and creating free throws causes double damage. Manu Ginobili is the greatest at it, in my humble opinion. No one flop/flails quite like Ginobili. But Chris Paul is a master, as well.

Paul gave us an incredible look at this ability of his on Friday night vs. Memphis. First he used his great instincts to produce a steal on Zach Randolph and had a runout. Memphis forward Vince Carter had a chance to chase him down, but sadly, had a startling realization that he is an old man. So Carter pulled up, but not quite soon enough. Paul rose for a layup, and, at the feeling of his legs grazing Carter, landed, then collapsed in a heap as if his spine had been pulled from his body.

Now, Carter makes contact here, and officials are always going to be touchy about any contact to a player's legs while they are in the air. Undercutting a player is really dangerous, so Carter even getting close here is a mistake.

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Down goes Paul! FS Southwest

But Paul clearly wasn't affected by the contact, and not only collapsed, but then rolled backwards after checking to make sure he got the call, as if he were recovering from damage.

Again, this is not a slight. We should respect these plays. If we're going to hold up players to the standard of "do anything to win," Chris Paul passes with flying colors. He just collapses in a heap after turning in his exam.