NBA 2018-19: 3 Key takeaways from the Houston Rockets' performance so far

#2 Chris Paul's injury bothering the Rockets

Chris Paul is out with

injured

hamstring

Last season, after going up 3-2 over the Warriors in the Conference Finals, the Houston Rockets lost Chris Paul due to a hamstring strain. That had a huge impact on the outcome of the series as the Rockets lost the series in seven games and missed out on a golden opportunity of bringing home the title.

This season, with the Rockets already struggling to pick up wins early in the season, mainly because of losing their star wing players, Chris Paul's injury will only make things worse for the franchise.

Paul is one of the best guards in the league and is known for his passing ability. He can also score effortlessly and that is one more thing the Rockets will miss the most. To the most part this season, Harden has been scoring heavily to nullify Paul's absence.

However, when Harden struggles, the team is crumbling as they do not have a lot of players who can create his own shot besides sharpshooter Eric Gordon. To address the backcourt depth issues, the Rockets have recently signed Austin Rivers and he was impressive in the debut game against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Christmas night matchup.