Chris Paul is on the verge of history
Chris Paul (photo. Zach Wolfe)Beno Udrih should be on alert tonight. Going up against the Hornets and Chris Paul, Udrih is not only facing the NBA’s leader in steals (3.0 spg), he’s also facing a man going after a record.
Paul has recorded at least one steal in his last 93 games, and is approaching the League record of 105 games, set by infamous thief Alvin Robertson back in 1986. Having already set the record for consecutive 20-point, 10-assist games to start a season (six), this is yet another testament to not only CP’s skill, but also his consistency.
“That’s one thing I’ve always done since high school, just knowing the game, knowing what teams are running and understanding where guys are trying to pass the ball,” CP told the New Orleans Times-Picyaune. “I really pride myself on when I get a deflection not to let the other team come up with it. I like to steal the ball.”
With so much focus on CP’s passing, ball-handling and scoring prowess, his defense is an underrated part of his game.
“I think (Paul’s defense) does get overlooked because of all the gifts that he has,” Byron Scott said. “But his defense has gotten so much better this year. He’s one of the best as far as anticipation and understanding how to get into the passing lanes. He’s just got a gift for it. Everything else he does, the scoring, the assists, the unbelievable passes he makes, like anything else, that gets the highlights. But on the defensive end, he doesn’t get the credit that he deserves.”
Who would you rank as the three best defensive point guards in the NBA?
Source: New Orleans Times-Picyaune
November 19th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
justice says:
damn isiah might end up being the third best 6′0 and under player, after A.I and Chris Paul..A.I gets a ring he passes Isiah in my book and Chris Paul just has to be able to walk for 10 more years and he’ll have every phucking record
November 19th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Mamba says:
CP3 is amazing,
Easily will be my generations best PG,
I would take him over AI right now,
Needs to win a chip or 2 to be up there with Isiah though,
Tuss was pretty nasty back in the 80’s – Those bad boy teams were no joke,
Would love to see AI get a chip though, his heart and effort over the years deserve it
November 19th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
KB24 says:
AI??????? What about that guy…um whats his name?
MAGIC Johnson?
November 19th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
fallinup says:
I marvel at Paul’s game every time I watch him play. And he only gets better every year. He can easily become not just the best PG…but best player. Even right now…I’d choose him over Lebron.
November 19th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
AI is not a PG, he is a shooting guard in a point guards body. He is much better coming off the ball. AS point guard needs to set the tempo, the game should flow smoothly, watch Nash, Williams and CP3. The game flows smoothly. Even with D Fish, Jose Calderon, the game flows smoothly. Now obviously AI is better than the last two and in his prime was better than all of them, but he still isn’t a PG, remember when he played against the Lakers in 01, wasn’t Eric Snow the starting PG?
November 19th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
GEE...When your learnin the facts of life says:
No order.
D Fish
Chauncy
CP
November 19th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Duke says:
AI’s squad in the 01 Finals was garbage.
November 19th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
heckler...formerly 'yallallreadyknow' says:
i think you gotta take isiah thomas in his prime over allen iverson in his prime and over chris paul (when he reaches his prime)
Zeke was the one of the illest basketball players ever. 3 straight years in the nba finals. giving cats buckets on one leg.
biggest shame on the NBA in its history is leaving Isiah Thomas off the 1992 Dream Team
no disrespect to iverson or chris paul….but neither of them cats could run with isiah. Isiah was a WINNER
November 19th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
control says:
At least CP’s steals aren’t like AI’s steals. Where he gives up 5 open layups because he’s gambling.
November 19th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
heckler...formerly 'yallallreadyknow' says:
duke–
i dunno about the ‘01 sixers being garbage.
the team had the league mvp (allen iverson), coach of the year (larry brown), defensive player of the year (dikembe mutombo) and sixth man of the year (aaron mckie)
…not to mention….that team started the season 11-0 (if i believe correctly)
that aint have the star power of the lakers, but they werent garbage.
November 19th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
VINNY says:
@FALLINUP- REALLY OVER LABRON??? no way!! 3 best defensive
1jack, indiana
2 rondo
3cp
November 19th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Dagomar says:
I would like to point out that the ability to get steals does not equal the ability to play excellent man-to-man defense. Getting steals does not equal good defense, in other words. AI gets a ton of steals, but he’s one of the worst defensive players in the league.
Not saying Paul is a bad defensive player – he’s decent, if not great – but he still has a ways to go in this area of his game.
November 19th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
JCARR says:
Paul, rondo, rose
November 19th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
mules says:
Wow!…no love for the Glove? I mean, he may be an awful broadcaster and all but isn’t he the only PG to win Defensive Player of the Year and wasn’t he All-Defensive First Team like 8 or 9 times?
1: GP
2: Zeke
3: either Chauncy or CP
November 19th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
mules says:
Kidd was pretty nasty too….before the arthritis set in
November 19th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Don Mega says:
hey Dime , post this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA6_wkBG-0I
November 19th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
rob stewart says:
GP
Stockton- all time steals leader
Kidd
honorable mention: Derek Harper & Lindsey Hunter
November 19th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
@ 8 “biggest shame on the NBA in its history is leaving Isiah Thomas off the 1992 Dream Team”
If they didn’t Jordan wasn’t going to play. Besides who were they going to kickoff? I know Laetner right… But they had to have a college kid
November 19th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
eddy says:
magic is the most overrated point guard of all time….he was the most marketable pg of all time, but not the best….
November 19th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Desrat says:
The biggest shame of the ‘92 dream team was that they took Latener instead of Shaq.
November 19th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
johnny says:
Desrat, you are way too right.
November 19th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Gerard says:
Shaq was in the league back then?
November 19th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Kevin says:
Derrick Rose may end up better than both AI and Paul. He is unbelievably good, and could be in the discussion for the best of all time. Just wait and see. I’m not a Homer, I’m a Raps fan, but dude is more skilled much quicker than CP and AI, he just has to develop the mind of CP and get in the reps on his jumper and he’ll be better than him. In this short season, he’s surpassed CP as my favourite non-raptor. Dude is a blur on the court.
November 19th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
doug says:
GP said it best stop keeping track of these obscure and meaningless stats,that’s Rick Kamla and Bill Waltons job,besides BIG-O did the tripple double thing for a whole season. I really hate this kind of stuff. Did you know that Chris Paul is the only player to have 20 points , 10 assist, 2 steals, 5 rebounds and one technical foul for 8 games in a row? Who cares this is stupid and whoever keeps track of this crap is at the apex of ignorance sitting by themself…hopefully. Lets talk about this stuff when you look back at a guys season or his career, not 10 games in. Besides what’s more important is there record, which isn’t looking too hot.
November 19th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
doug says:
Dagomar you usually say idiotic things but this time you actually make sense, I try and tell people this all the time, just because you lead the league in steals doesn’t mean you play good defense, good defense is holding your guy’s scoring below your own. Furthermore, if your getting steals more than likely it’s because the guy you were supposed to be gaurding is getting double-teamed by one of your teammates which has afforded you an opportunity to play a passing lane and get a steal kind of like a strong safety in football. I hate playing with guys like this that don’t gaurd there own man. Like all of you who contend AI should be all-defensive first team every year he lead the league in steals, he’s a perfect example of a terrible on ball defender and a good free-loader of steals.
November 20th, 2008 at 1:41 am
weng santos says:
Those who reacted to justics, you guys are not reading!
His argument is about the best 6 feet and under player of all time.
It’s not about the best PG. It’s not about the best player. It’s not about tall dudes.
It’s about little guys who can play, PG or otherwise.
November 20th, 2008 at 10:38 am
rkirby says:
doug needs happiness or something…so goddamn negative