It was well-known coming into the 2017-18 NBA season that the Houston Rockets could potentially have the best backcourt in the entire league. Not only was superstar James Harden coming off an MVP-caliber season, but the addition of superstar Chris Paul was undoubtedly going to take the pressure off his shoulders.
So far, that notion has proved to ring true after Paul handily broke Rockets legend Kenny Smith's record for most assists over their first five games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Chris Paul has 51 AST through his first 5 games on the #Rockets.
That's the most for any player in @HoustonRockets history over their first 5 games, passing Kenny Smith (44 AST).
(via @EliasSports) pic.twitter.com/YevCSbwHop
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) November 26, 2017
Chris Paul's tenure with the Rockets got off to a rough start after suffering a knee injury in the season opener. As a result, he had to miss the next 14 games while the team largely ran the table on their quick ascent to the top of the Western Conference.
The Rockets' prowess on offense has been a given under head coach Mike D'Antoni for some time now. However, this team tightened things up on the defensive end also as they own the eight-best defensive rating in the league (101.7).
Meanwhile, Chris Paul picked up right where he left off by recording double-digit assists in all but one game since his return. Needless to say, the Rockets have established themselves as a legitimate early contender in this year's powerhouse Western Conference playoffs.
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