NEW YORK -- There must have been a time when Isiah Thomas, in the few moments when his head raised above the muck and swill that has been this Knicks season, glanced onto the court Monday night and saw himself.

The Knicks were playing New Orleans at Madison Square Garden and at guard for the Hornets was Thomas' doppelganger. If there was ever a clone of Thomas the player, it is the future of the point guard position, Chris Paul.

Isiah Thomas and Chris Paul: 6-foot point guards who dish, swish and win. (Getty Images)

An argument could be made that Thomas was a top five point guard, a combination of Magic Johnson and John Stockton.

Don't let the current Thomas trifecta of inept head coach, alleged sexual harasser and terrible general manager block your ability to digest how great a talent he was.

Since Thomas retired as a player in 1994, there have been few point guards like him. Until Paul.

"Paul is ... he's exceptional," Thomas said. "He's tough to coach against but he's definitely fun to watch."

Like Thomas, Paul is short by NBA standards. He's listed at 6 feet but is actually a tad smaller. Like Thomas, he is one of the league's more gifted passers and can score as well as any point in the sport.

Right now, at this moment in time, Paul is better than a Jason Kidd or Steve Nash. He is. Stop throwing things at your computer. It's true.

"We have one of the best in the game right now," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "He is always in control of the flow and he understands where to get you the ball and he just makes guys better."

The difference between Paul and Thomas? Paul does not treat a basketball game like he's playing for the Cleveland Browns in the 1950s. That's because Paul is the fastest guy on the floor most nights. He doesn't need to apply a forearm shiver to shake loose a stubborn defender.

The Hornets have earned their best start in team history at 40-19 mostly because of Paul. He is the most unselfish passer I've seen in years. The Hornets have 28 wins against the brutal Western Conference, the most of any team in the league, and to accomplish that a team needs outstanding guard play.

This season Paul could become the first player since Tim Hardaway in 1992-93 to average at least 20 points and 10 assists for the season (no player has averaged 20, 10 and three steals). The former feat is extraordinarily rare and the latter is the equivalent of rushing for 2,000 yards in a season.

Thomas accomplished 20 and 10 four seasons in a row. Oscar Robertson did it five times (averaging more than 30 points each time), Magic three times, Hardaway twice and Tiny Archibald once. Of all the greats to play in the NBA, that's all, that's it.

Paul might still fall short but getting this close is amazing in itself.

Because he's still just 22.

Twenty-two.

When asked about the Thomas comparisons, Paul said: "It's an honor. The thing about Isiah is he did it year in and year out. This is just my third season so I have a long way to go. But to be mentioned in the same sentence as Isiah is an honor."

"I said before the game, he is great," Thomas said. "He is just as good in person as he is when you watch him on tape."

"He wants to beat you until you can't play (any) more," said Scott, "in card games on the bus, on the plane and in horse after practice, in shooting games. He reminds me of Isiah."

When Paul played the Knicks you saw the totality of his game. He moved as cagily and effortlessly penetrating and then dumping the ball out to the 3-point line as he did shooting a 15-footer or driving to the basket. Unlike a Nash, he plays solid defense.

One play in third quarter, Paul split two Knicks players, was fouled and continued to the basket before hitting a circus shot. He scored 14 points in the third quarter, just one point less than the entire Knicks team scored in the fourth. Paul dominated the final quarter and finished with 27 points, eight assists, five rebounds, three steals and only two turnovers. It was another MVP performance. It was typical Paul.

Just like it was once typical Thomas.