Chris Paul and Blake Griffin Are the Scariest 1-2 Punch in the NBA

Chris Paul-to-Blake Griffin is now the scariest 1-2 punch in the NBA. Before you rip me apart limb from limb with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James comments, allow me to explain what I mean by 1-2 punch and what I don't mean. 

What I don't mean is best top two players. Obviously that distinction still belongs to Miami's duo. What I do mean is 1-2 punch in a perimeter-to-post, guard-to-big man, pick-and-roll kind of duo. 

When I say this I'm considering three things: the threat of the big man to score in the paint, the threat of the guard to score and the ability of the tandem to work together. 

Now obviously Paul and Griffin haven't played together yet, but this is predictive. The particular styles will mesh together, and Paul-to-Griffin will be the best inside-out tandem in the NBA. 

Chris Paul is arguably the best pick-and-roll guard in the NBA. As the ball-handler his 0.97 points per play is phenomenal when he is the finisher. On top of that the Hornets finished 12th in the NBA in spite of the they didn't have any great post men. 

Few, if any, any are better passers into the paint than Paul. 

Imagine what happens now that he has one of the best roll men in the NBA with him? Last season Blake Griffin shot .630 from inside the paint. What happens to him now that he has one of the best pick-and-roll passers feeding him the ball. 

That only scratches the surface though.

With Paul's pinpoint accuracy on his passes and with Griffin's ability to finish on the alley-oop, the Clippers will almost be required by law to keep extra rims on hand. There will be, without a doubt, a special kind of dunking going on. 

There are some other teams that have some nice duos.

Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol/Andrew Bynum is a nice pair, but Kobe-to-Gasol/Bynum isn't quite the feared pairing that Paul to Griffin would would be. 

Derrick Rose-to-Carlos Boozer is a pairing that should work better than it did last year. While Rose may be a better scorer, Paul is a better passer, and in particular a better passer in the paint. 

Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard is a great pairing but only on the one end. Nelson isn't that much of a threat to score. They're in the argument solely because of Howard. If Howard gets dealt to New Jersey, he and Deron Williams take the title, but for now he's in Orlando.

Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki are a nice pairing but again, Kidd's not much of a threat with the ball. 

The Clippers have the perfect player to complement their roster. Strange as it sounds, they are actually going to be a good team, and a lot of it has to do with what will a remarkable chemistry between Paul and Griffin.