When Chris Paul decided to join the Houston Rockets in the summer, not everybody understood why he wanted to team up with another ball dominant player in James Harden.Doubts quickly began to emerge about whether the pair could co-exist in the same team and if they could work without the ball. After aggravating a knee injury in the season opener against the Golden State Warriors, Paul was sidelined for a month and it allowed Harden to do what he did last year and the Rockets continued to look good under his leadership.This led to new questions about CP3; would he disrupt the flow of the team? Does Houston really need him?Since making a return from injury, the veteran has answered all of those questions emphatically as the Texas-based franchise has won all 11 games since he recovered.
Influence
Head coach Mike D'Antoni might not admit it, but the team probably didn't expect the point guard to have such a huge impact so early.
When you pair two superstars together that are so used to handling the ball, you would expect some teething problems and an adjustment period.
That hasn't been the case with Paul and Harden and that's mainly due to the greatness of the former and his seamless transition.
They beat the Charlotte Hornets 108-96 on Wednesday to extend their winning streak to 11 games and including the opening day win over the Warriors, they're now 12-0 with CP in the lineup.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that's the most consecutive wins for a starter with a new team since the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls won their first 13 games with Dennis Rodman.
He enjoyed his best game in a Rockets uniform against Charlotte as he posted 31 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists.
The nine-time All-Star believes their excellent run is down to the style of basketball they're playing.
"It's all about playing the right way, it's all about building. You can win however many games you want in a row. It means nothing if you're not playing the right way, but right now we're playing the right way and still trying to get better," he said, per ESPN's Tim McMahon.
Deadly Duo
Anyone who thought that Paul's arrival would impact Harden is being proved wrong as the shooting guard is leading the league in scoring with an incredible 31.9 points per game. He's also second in assists at 9.4.
They have become one of the most devastating tandems in the league and are proving to be unstoppable at present.
The former Los Angeles Clippers man is also enjoying some strong numbers as he's posting 17.2 points and 9.5 assists during the winning stretch.
Houston was already one of the top offensive teams in the league but they have now tightened up on the defensive end too thanks to the arrival of the 32-year-old.
The figures during their run are truly incredible. The Rockets, who have the NBA's best record at 22-4, have won by double digits in nine of the 11 games since Paul's return and are beating teams by an average margin of 17 points.
"I don't ever go into a game expecting to lose," Paul said. "I think we're just playing with the right pace, the right tempo, the right energy. It's fun."
The All-NBA guard has taken the team to another level and are serious candidates to win the championship this year.
His decision to leave the Clippers and form a backcourt partnership with Harden is proving to be a masterstroke.
Those who questioned how this experiment would work are beginning to look foolish and Houston is ready to have the last laugh.