There was a time and place when the Houston Rockets employed one of the best all-time backcourts in the league. James Harden and Chris Paul had a two-year run in Houston that led the team to a league-best record in 2017-18 and led the Rockets to a game seven in the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors.
Unfortunately, the Rockets never fully reached the heights they thought they could have with those two leading the team, and ultimately, both stars left Houston.
The relationship between the two has remained frosty since they parted ways. It could be chalked up to different personalities and preparation. It could be that both were ball-dominant guards, although their approaches to the game are different. Harden was looking to dominate via iso-ball, while Paul wanted to distribute and move the ball to create offense. No matter the final reason for the split, it was short-lived but exciting for Rockets fans. Fans will now get to admire the reunion from afar, as Chris Paul has reportedly signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.
This go around, the circumstances would seem to be different. Harden is firmly entrenched as the lead guard for the Clippers, and the offense revolves around him and Kawhi Leonard. The Clippers have been busy this offseason, bolstering their roster and already added Bradley Beal to operate the shooting guard spot. This is the latest move in what has been a complete overhaul of the Clippers roster.
CP3's Reunion with James Harden Spells Trouble for Rockets' Title Aspirations
The Rockets had their own stellar offseason and looked to be a top challenger to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference. While the addition of Kevin Durant and the re-signing of several key players bode well for the future, the Clippers boast significant depth and talent across their entire roster. The Rockets have youth and Durant, the Clippers boast a roster of experienced former and current All-Stars.
A side-by-side comparison shows the Rockets rolling out a starting lineup of Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Kevin Durant, and Alperen Sengun versus the Clippers' James Harden, Bradley Beal, Kawhi Leonard, John Collins, and Ivan Zubac. It’s almost too close to call in terms of the starting lineup roster construction. However, the additions of Chris Paul and Brook Lopez may give the Clippers the upper hand with their playoff experience.
The Paul signing should give Rockets fans some concerns as they look to contend this season. The Clippers now have a point guard who can step in and run a second unit just as well (if not better) as most first units. It will be interesting to see if the Rockets have another move in them this offseason to counter or if Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka still feel they are the best bet to dethrone the Thunder.