Chris Paul, Austin Rivers to miss Global Games in China w/ injury
Here’s some news no one was looking to hear: according to reports, guards Chris Paul and Austin Rivers are expected to miss the Global Games in China due to differing injury.
For Paul, the team’s starting point guard, Rowan Kavner reports the veteran is dealing with a fractured finger, acquired in practice.
Chris Paul fractured his left index finger in practice and likely won't play today. It's believed he could play in a regular season game.
— Rowan Kavner (@RowanKavner) October 11, 2015
A blow to the thousands of fans in China who hoped to see the best of the best take the floor as part of the global games, the good news here is the injury isn’t being mentioned as “very serious” and per Dan Woike of the Orange County Register, Paul would take the floor if the matchup was a regular season one — it’s unclear at the moment if Paul will particpiate in part two of the global games.
In regards to Chris Paul's injury - I'm told injury isn't as serious as it sounds, and if it were the regular season, Paul would likely play
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) October 11, 2015
Last season, posting averages of 19.1 points, 10.2 assists, and 1.9 steals, Paul appeared in all 82 games for the first time in his career. Unfortunately, injury would hit the All-NBA member in the playoffs when Paul suffered a hamstring injury against the San Antonio Spurs in Round 1 of the NBA playoffs, forcing CP3 to miss the first two games of the Clippers’ second-round series against the Houston Rockets.
For Austin Rivers, per the Clippers official website, the backup shooting guard caught an elbow from rookie Branden Dawson which forced him to lose five teeth; he was immediately taken in for surgery after.
“It just hit me right in the mouth,” Rivers said. “They brought me into surgery, just numbed my whole face, it took like two and a half hours.”
Again citing Clippers.com, Rivers is expected practice after removing the device placed in his mouth some time next week. This is the second reported injury connected to Rivers this preseason. Prior to the preseason opener, Rivers was linked to a lower leg injury, and though he was mentioned as questionable the injury didn’t keep him from playing against the Denver Nuggets, a game in which he’d 10 points and 4 steals.
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Given it’s the preseason, there’s really no reason for Doc Rivers to play neither of Paul or Rivers at the moment, and in regards’ to Paul’s injury, for the rest of the preseason. There’s the argument to be made that Paul may need time to figure out how to play with the injury — the really good news is the injury didn’t occur to his shooting hand — but that time can be made during non-contact practices. For Rivers, it’s just a matter of him feeling physically in place to take the floor for the final three games of the preseason (Hornets, Warriors, Blazers).
But as mentioned — in combination with the severity of both ailments — both should be avialable for the team’s season opener against DeMarcus Cousins and the Sacramento Kings, but in the meantime expect to see heavy minutes of Pablo Prigioni and Lance Stephenson at point guard until one or both of Paul and Rivers return to the floor.
Next: Klay Thompson throws shade at Doc Rivers & the Clippers