Chris Paul Sets NBA Mark For Steals In Consecutive Games

 

 

2008 Olympic gold medalist and New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul rewrote a 22-year standing NBA record for steals in consecutive games when he recorded a steal in his 106th straight regular-season game Wednesday night in a game against San Antonio.

Paul broke Alvin Robertson's mark set between November 1985 and December 1986. Robertson was playing for San Antonio when he set the previous mark of 105, which Paul tied Tuesday night in Memphis.

 

Paul broke the record when he stole the ball from San Antonio's Tony Parker with 3:43 left in the second quarter.

 

'It's just something that he does. He has great anticipation and the biggest thing is he's always around that ball somewhere, a lot like Alvin when he played,' said Hornets coach Byron Scott, who was playing for the Los Angeles Lakers when Robertson set the previous record. 'Chris is the same way. Guys think they got layups and then all of a sudden, here he comes. So, that's an amazing record.'

 

Paul's streak began on April 13, 2007, when the Hornets, still displaced by Hurricane Katrina, hosted the Denver Nuggets in Oklahoma City. It nearly came to an end last Jan. 23, when he didn't make his first steal in a game against Portland until 3:12 remained in the fourth quarter.

 

'He's been such a good player, offensively, and when that happens, I think most fans and people recognize that about players,' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said before the game. 'They look at what people score, but very few players get credit for what they do at the other end of the floor also, especially if they're good offensively. So [the streak] brings attention to what he does at the other end of the floor and I think that's great because he deserves credit for it.'

 

Paul, having played and started in all 22 of New Orelans' games in the 2008-09 NBA season, currently ranks 25th in the NBA in scoring (19.7 ppg.), and ranks first in assists (11.9 apg.), first in steals (2.82 spg.), first in efficiency ranking (30.0), first in double-doubles (18), and is third in assists per turnover (4.03).

 

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 6'0' guard averaged 8.0 ppg., a team leading 4.1 assists a game, and was tied for second best on the team in steals averaging 2.25 a game.