Chris Paul Punks Jason KIdd

Jason Kidd may have been the starting point guard for the East in the All-Star Game, but it didn’t take him long to find out how good the Western Conference point guards are. In Kidd’s debut with the Dallas Mavericks, the 9-time All-Star was simply taken to school by the emerging Chris Paul, a first time All-Star this season. The Western Conference is unfairly loaded with talent in comparison to its counterpart, and it showed last night as one of the East’s most prominent megastars was humbled in his first game in the new conference. Paul sent a message to Kidd and the Mavericks with his superb performance last night. Unfortunately for Dallas and their new acquisition, this may not be the last time this happens.

Kidd was supposed to be the missing piece in the Mavericks puzzle towards winning a Championship. The lack of a primetime leader at the point had hampered Dallas in previous postseason failures, but the 34-year old triple double machine was brought in to change all that. However, in his first game as a member of the Western Conference in seven years, Kidd got a rude awakening. 8 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists; hardly a landmark debut in a very crucial game against a division rival. It marked only the fourth time in the entire season Kidd failed to hit double figures in at least points, rebounds, or assists. In all fairness, it was only the first game of his second stint with Dallas, but there are plenty of games against quality competition ahead, and Dallas is going to need Kidd to play like he did five years ago. Welcome to the Western Conference, Jason, where you’ll find out that your 24-30 record with the Nets isn’t good enough to make the playoffs, unlike the East.

Chris Paul is only one of many point guards in the West Kidd will become familiar with now that he’s a Maverick. Tony Parker, Deron Williams, and Baron Davis all weren’t good enough to be All-Stars in the West, but would have easily merited inclusion if they were in the East. All three have proved throughout the year that they are capable of outplaying Kidd in the same manner Paul did on Wednesday night.

CP3 had 31 points, 11 assists, 9 steals, and 5 rebounds in leading his Western Conference leading Hornets to a 104-93 win over Dallas, opening up a three game lead over the Mavericks. New Orleans has continued to defy belief this season, as they sit at the top of the viciously deep Western Conference, and no player on the team has been more responsible than Paul. Ever since his rookie season, the 4th overall selection from the 2005 Draft has proven that he was a special player. He has improved each year he’s been in the league, and this season he has become a bona fide superstar for the contending Hornets. Paul joins Steve Nash and Kidd as the only other point guard in the NBA to average a double-double, putting up career-highs of 20.5 points and 10.9 assists every night.

The Hornets diminutive point guard has helped turn David West into an All-Star, and finally tapped into Tyson Chandler’s enormous potential. For years, it was hard to believe that either West or Chandler were capable of being important players on winning teams, but thanks to Paul, both have shown substantial improvement during the point guard’s three year tenure. Chandler has become a new man ever since he became a Hornet; his scoring has gone up in each of his first two years in New Orleans, and this year, he’s averaging a double-double for the first time in his entire career. Scoring has been an issue for the 2nd pick from 2001, but the amazing play of Paul has been instrumental in Chandler’s evolution into a double -digit scoring threat. Paul and Chandler lead the league in alley-oops, and know each other like the back of their hands. West has also seen similar improvements in his game ever since Paul was drafted. This year, he’s increased his scoring and rebounding for the third straight year, no coincidence that Paul has been his teammate during each year of that run.

Kidd should feel blessed that Dallas’ next three games are against Memphis, Minnesota, and Chicago. These yawners will give him time to properly adjust to his new teammates and Avery Johnson’s coaching style. New Orleans is only one of eight teams in the West that are talented enough to do this to the Mavericks on any given night. The astounding parity of the West has made the standings irrelevant; the top nine are separated by a measly five games where an extended winning or losing streak can turn the order upside down. Acquiring Jason Kidd only kept Dallas in stride with the ridiculous pace that is being set in the West. Even bashful San Antonio made a splash, acquiring Kurt Thomas, a shrewd move by the defending champions, who are in dire need of depth. With road games against those Spurs, the streaking Lakers, and the Jazz coming up in the next week and a half, it won’t take long for Dallas to assess how well its blockbuster turned out.