Not only did the Phoenix Suns lose Game 2 of their playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, but they also suffered a big injury blow during the contest.
In the third quarter, Chris Paul suffered a groin injury and was ruled out for the rest of the game. In his postgame press conference, head coach Monty Williams gave a concerning update on the veteran point guard.
“Monty Williams said Chris Paul couldn’t push off ‘at all’ after his groin injury. Suns will learn more about severity tomorrow. Paul already left the arena.”
Monty Williams said Chris Paul couldn’t push off “at all” after his groin injury. Suns will learn more about severity tomorrow. Paul already left the arena.
— Tim MacMahon (@BannedMacMahon) May 2, 2023
Paul was attempting a box out on the rebound and seemed to hurt his groin in the process. He immediately felt pain in the area and exited the game, finishing with 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Paul is no longer the elite point guard he once was, but his value to the Suns could be seen in the fourth quarter. Their offense could only muster 14 points in the quarter without Paul, as they sorely missed his playmaking. They just ended up running isolation plays for Devin Booker or Kevin Durant, for the most part, and that’s not a recipe for success.
Can The Suns Win This Series Without Chris Paul?
The Suns don’t really have any margin for error in these next two games in Phoenix and if Paul misses those games, then it isn’t looking good for them. The Suns aren’t really a deep team after trading for Durant, so not having Paul just makes matters that much worse.
Their bench only scored four points in Game 2, and Paul’s deputy Cameron Payne had two of them, but he shot just 1-7 from the field. While Payne would help the Suns push the pace a lot more than Paul would, he is nowhere near the playmaker that CP3 is. They would be hoping that the three days of rest they have between Games 2 and 3 would be enough for Paul to recover and get back on the court, or else they might be in line for an early vacation.
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