PAUL HOPES TO FIND SUCCESS IN HOUSTON
Chris Paul hopes to find playoff success with Houston Rockets
Paul hasn’t advanced past the second round of the playoffs in 12-year career
Rockets haven’t won a title since winning back to back in 1994 and 1995
Chris Paul didn’t talk about his legacy, and never uttered the word “championship” on Friday when he was officially introduced as the newest member of the Houston Rockets.
Still, Paul’s motivation for opting into the last year of his contract so the Los Angeles Clippers could orchestrate his trade to Houston was clear. He and the Rockets believe that adding him to a team headlined by James Harden gives both parties a much better shot to chase a title.
“It’s not just about me coming here to help him,” Paul said. “He’s going to help me. We’re going to help each other, and we’re going to help this team hopefully get to where we want to be at.”
The Rockets haven’t won a championship since winning backto-back titles in 1994-95, and knew they had to add another superstar to this team which was ousted by the Spurs in the second round last season to have any chance to get another one.
“This is a moment that our whole organization has been working toward to get ourselves back to a championship,” general manager Daryl Morey said. “We really do think this is a historic pairing with Chris Paul and James Harden and the great players we have around them ... that really gives us an unbelievable chance at getting back and getting our third championship.”
Not only has Paul never won a title in his 12-year career, he’s been widely criticized for his inability to advance past the second round of the playoffs. In the past when that fact was brought up, it would invariably elicit a prickly response from Paul.
That wasn’t the case on Friday when Paul smiled and joked throughout a news conference that preceded a party where thousands of fans including “Modern Family” star Rico Rodriguez welcomed him to the team.
“Really? I didn’t know,” he dead- panned when his playoff shortcomings were broached by a reporter. Then he got serious. “I’m ultra-competitive,” he said. “There’s no reason in playing unless you’re playing to win ... we have one goal here and it’s to win.”