Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it, especially if their name is Chris Paul.
With a blowout win on Monday, the Houston Rockets took a 3-1 lead in their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Addressing reporters on Tuesday, James Harden hinted that Paul was wary of the lead and brought up the 3-1 advantage his old team, the LA Clippers, blew to (ironically) the Rockets in the 2015 playoffs, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
James Harden said Chris Paul has brought up the Rockets comeback from down 3-1. "He's mentioned it."
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) April 24, 2018
Paul has good reason to preach caution — he still has yet to make a conference finals in his 13-year career and (unfair or not) carries a bit of a reputation as a playoff choker, aided in part by that notorious collapse in 2015.
As for the Rockets, they now head into a potential closeout Game 5 at home Wednesday against the Wolves and obviously cannot get ahead of themselves. The good news though is that their leaders won’t let them get overconfident.
