So much for Chris Paul struggling to adjust as a member of the Houston Rockets, mainly as a sidekick to James Harden.
This isn’t to say the transition will be entirely wrinkle-free. Pairings of this magnitude are always subject to taking a little bit of time. But anyone who thought it’d take Paul a while, or even more than a second, to embrace a heavier off-ball role is already finding out they’re wrong.
As the point guard said, per ESPN.com’s Tim MacMahon:
“It’s nice not to have to be in a ball screen every single time.”
The concern surrounding Paul’s arrival and integration into Houston’s offense wasn’t entirely unfounded. Playing off the ball isn’t something he’s done on a regular basis since entering the NBA.
Sure, he’s shooting almost 44 percent on catch-and-shoot threes since 2013-14, according to NBA.com. But those looks only account for 8.3 of his total shot attempts during that time. Adding in more volume could make for a weird product, particularly if Paul is pining for more on-ball action.
And yet, it doesn’t appear that’ll be an issue—not even a slight one. And if Paul is already falling in love with the new dynamic, it’ll make things that much easier on Harden’s own transition.
In other words: The Rockets will probably be just as good as they look on paper.
