Do not rub your eyes or try to pinch yourself, casual NBA fan. It is in fact the Houston Rockets’ Kyle Lowry who leads the NBA in assists at this young juncture of the season, not Chris Paul or John Wall or Derrick Rose. Lowry has improved vastly each year since he was given the chance in Houston, where he has played since 2008 after beginning his career languishing on the bench in Memphis.
Since joining the Rockets, Lowry has doubled both his point and assist totals, and he is averaging 13 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds through four games this 2011-12 season. Following a two-point, 18-assist effort in an 11-point win over the Atlanta Hawks on December 31st, it is clear that Lowry has crossed the threshold from solid NBA starter to All-Star caliber and quietly taken over as the best player on his young team, the rare leader who contribute in whichever area his squad needs him to in order to secure a win.
It was a bit of shock in 2010-11 when Lowry supplanted the incumben...
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