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What Is The 'Chris Paul Hits 3' Meme? The ‘Chris Paul Hits A Huge 3 To Cut The Lead To 42’ Copypasta Explained
As is the case for any major sports fandom, meme culture walks alongside no matter the type of competition. Basketball fans are among one of the main creative groups to produce memes en masse within the internet sports world, such as the memorable "Chris Paul Hits A Huge 3 To Cut The Lead To 42" meme and copypasta.
Originating from a humorous NBA moment, this meme encapsulates the absurdity of attempting to celebrate small victories in dire situations. Here’s the full story behind the "Chris Paul Hits 3" meme.
What Is The ‘Chris Paul Hits A Huge 3 To Cut The Lead To 42’ Meme?
This phrase refers to a copypasta and reaction image that became popularized among basketball enthusiasts in May 2022, stemming from a moment during Game 7 of the 2022 Western Conference semifinals in which Phoenix Suns player Chris Paul hit a meaningless three-pointer while his team was down 45 points in the fourth quarter.
The resulting phrase "Chris Paul Hits A Huge 3 To Cut The Lead To 42” was added to clips showing Paul’s point on Reddit and YouTube to comically highlight how a minor success can often feel irrelevant in the larger context of a team’s poor performance.
How Is The ‘Chris Paul Hits A Huge 3 To Cut The Lead To 42‘ Meme Used Online?
The “Chris Paul Hits A Huge 3 To Cut The Lead To 42” meme is commonly used online to humorously highlight minor successes in dire situations. It mocks athletes or individuals who achieve small victories when faced with overwhelming defeat, often using screenshots from the original YouTube clip as reaction images to convey humor on social media.
For instance, X user @ervinciao posted the joke in response to the prompt "Describe Chris Paul in the most disrespectful but respectful tweet."
In July 2022, the meme was reposted to Facebook's NBA Memes with the caption, "Chris Paul always shows up when his team needs him the least."
The catchphrase was also used by netizens when something positive happens for one side in a game or event when that side is all but guaranteed to lose.
For example in March 2023, the Barstool Sports X account referenced the meme to joke about a Team USA baseball player hitting a solo home run late in the game with his team down 7-1.
For the full history of Chris Paul Hits A Huge 3 To Cut The Lead To 42, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.