Dec. 23, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) stands on the court during the game against the Phoenix Suns in the second half at US Airways Center. The Clippers defeated the Suns 103-77. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

Christmas came a day early for Chris Paul who today received an early stocking stuffer in the form of being named the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week.

It’s the second time Paul has won the award as a member of the Clippers. During his Player of the Week stretch from Dec. 17-23, which included four games, the MVP candidate and sure-fire All-Star averaged 16.3 points, a conference-leading 11.3 assists and 3.5 steals.

Not only is Paul receiving mid-season accolades, he’s writing his name in the record books.

Paul notched his 5,000th career assist during this stretch on Dec. 19 against the New Orleans Hornets, he also posted three double-doubles and notched two games with five steals. In his last two games Paul tallied at least 17 points, 13 assists and five steals–becoming the first player since John Stockton to post such numbers in back-to-back games.

Oh yeah, the Clippers went 4-0 during Paul’s award-winning stretch and look to extend their franchise-record winning streak to 14 games in a row tomorrow at home on Christmas Day against the Denver Nuggets.

Paul’s award comes just two weeks after teammate Blake Griffin was named conference player of the week. The pair became the first Clippers teammates to win the award in the same season since Quentin Richardson and Elton Brand did so in 2003-04.

It’s the first time in franchise history that teammates have won the award in the same month.

A merry Christmas indeed for CP3 and for all of Clippers Nation.

Chris Paul can lead any team to an NBA Championship or an Olympic medal.

The best point guard in the NBA debate has been going on for the last five years and will probably continue until the end of time.

Luckily for the Los Angeles Clippers, they have one of the few point guards who is on everyone’s top three list — Chris Paul. The other combination of players includes the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose, the New Jersey Nets’ Deron Williams, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Steve Nash and the San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker.

To each his own, but my top point guard list is in this order:

1. Chris Paul

2. Derrick Rose

3. Deron Williams

4. Russell Westbrook

5. Tony Parker

6. Steve Nash

7. The rest of the NBA’s point guards…the Philadelphia 76ers’ Jrue Holiday and the Toronto Raptors’ Kyle Lowry are at the top of the rest.

For those of you who know me, I’m from the Chicago-Land area and have been a huge Rose fan since the Bulls drafted him in 2008. However, Paul has opened my eyes to prove he is the best point guard in the league. Rose is a close second.

When it comes to scoring points Rose could be one of the best anyone has ever seen at the position. He takes it to the hole like no other, can hit a three and creates his own mid-range shot as well. Hopefully for NBA fans, he can come back from his ACL injury with the same dynamic style of play.

But when it comes to every other part of the game, Paul has Rose and every other point guard beat.

Derrick Rose going to the hole is an ongoing NBA saga. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

Nash has more assists and could still have more by time Paul retires, but it isn’t because he is a better passer, it’s because he had better talent around him. I bet Paul wishes he could of played with a Amar’e Stoudemire at the top of his prime. Nash also had shooters in Quentin Richardson, Joe Johnson, Leandro Barbosa and Jared Dudley.

Mike D’Antoni’s run and gun offensive system didn’t hurt any either.

I can’t think of one relevant shooter or scorer Paul played with in New Orleans except Peja Stojakovic and maybe David West.

Still, without offensive threats beside Paul , he was a league assist leader year in and year out. I think that is more impressive than what Nash did, although, he is too impressive.

If Paul stays with the Clippers — he is a free agent after the upcoming season — he could surpass Nash because of the caliber of players he is now aligned with in Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Chauncey Billups, Grant Hill, Jamal Crawford and Lamar Odom.

With that said, he is the best passer in the league. He can get any type of player, whether they can score or not, 10 points on the box score. If you don’t believe me, see Tyson Chandler’s stats when he played with Paul on the Hornets.

Paul is the best defender out of this group. A close second would be Deron Williams, but the rest of the bunch are offensive minded players and can not hold Paul’s jock when it comes to defense.

He’s quick enough to stick Rose, physical enough to guard Westbrook and has quick enough hands to take the ball away from Parker and Nash.

Chris Paul mans up Tony Parker in the semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-US PRESSWIRE

The Clippers’ point guard has incredible court vision on both sides of the floor and knows how to perform the little details/intangibles needed to win a game. Paul is the kind of guy that sneaks behind an opposing ball handler and pops the ball out for another guy to get a steal. He then runs the court for an easy lob to Griffin or Jordan.

To not have Paul as a top point guard is ridiculous. I can’t see him out of the top two, but like I said, in a league with as many caliber PGs as the NBA has — to each their own.

If you see me as a captain picking a playground team and all of these guys are options to be on my team, opponents better believe, I’m grabbing Paul first in order for me to look like an All-Star caliber player.

Put YOUR top 3 point guards in the comment section.