Already badly embarked, the affair became complicated for the Suns against the Nuggets when Chris Paul hurt his left adductor after a rebound battle with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in Game 2.
Led 2-0 before returning to Arizona and the Footprint Center tomorrow night, the Suns will no doubt have to evolve without their playmaker for at least the next two games. A big blow even if the time is not yet for resignation. Monty Williams and his players are hanging on to what they can in order to stay optimistic.
“Only time will tell”, slipped Devin Booker about the hypothetical return of Chris Paul. “We are now ready to prepare for the match. We cannot replace Chris like that in view of what he brings to the team. He will always be there, and will behave as a leader, by being vocal. But in terms of what he does on the pitch, we’re just going to have to find other ways to be effective and make sure everyone is involved. We’ll just have to try to do some of the stuff that Chris does.”
Ways to extend the streak
For the next two games, Phoenix will have a mission to do its utmost to return the series to Colorado.
We will therefore have to win at least one match and hope that CP3 is restored in time for the rest. For now, Monty Williams does not want to sink into catastrophism. It must be said that at the moment T, the series is taking its course if one can say: Denver has simply won its first two games at home…
“I am optimistic because I believe in a number of things. Our medical staff, and Chris who is fighting like crazy to come back. We have to wait and see,” slipped the Suns technician. “He didn’t have a tear or anything like that that would take him out of the season. Always look on the bright side of a difficult situation. We’re just grateful it’s not worse than we thought.”
The race against the clock started on Tuesday and the announcement of his probable package for at least a week.
Even if the blow is very hard for a player who will celebrate his 38th birthday in two days, and who was used to physical glitches once the postseason started, Monty Williams assured that CP3 still had morale.
“I spoke to him quite a bit on Tuesday. He’s frustrated, that’s for sure. You train your whole career for these kinds of moments. But he’s also optimistic about our guys, the fact that we can play well without him and the trend we’re following. That’s the hardest thing about this injury. Before he got injured, you could see the attack starting to take over the defences. And there, he finds himself with an injury that he cannot control.
It is Cameron Payne who should take the place of Chris Paul in the five major for the next matches.
| Chris Paul | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2005-06 | NOP | 78 | 36 | 43.0 | 28.2 | 84.7 | 0.8 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 7.8 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 0.1 | 16.1 |
| 2006-07 | NOP | 64 | 37 | 43.7 | 35.0 | 81.8 | 0.8 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 8.9 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 17.3 |
| 2007-08 | NOP | 80 | 38 | 48.8 | 36.9 | 85.1 | 0.8 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 11.6 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 21.1 |
| 2008-09 | NOP | 78 | 39 | 50.3 | 36.4 | 86.8 | 0.9 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 11.0 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 22.8 |
| 2009-10 | NOP | 45 | 38 | 49.3 | 40.9 | 84.7 | 0.4 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 10.7 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 18.7 |
| 2010-11 | NOP | 80 | 36 | 46.3 | 38.8 | 87.8 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 9.8 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 15.9 |
| 2011-12 | LAKE | 60 | 36 | 47.8 | 37.1 | 86.1 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 9.1 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 0.1 | 19.8 |
| 2012-13 | LAKE | 70 | 33 | 48.1 | 32.8 | 88.5 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 9.7 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 16.9 |
| 2013-14 | LAKE | 62 | 35 | 46.7 | 36.8 | 85.5 | 0.6 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 10.7 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 19.1 |
| 2014-15 | LAKE | 82 | 35 | 48.5 | 39.8 | 90.0 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 10.2 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 19.1 |
| 2015-16 | LAKE | 74 | 33 | 46.2 | 37.1 | 89.6 | 0.5 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 10.0 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 19.5 |
| 2016-17 | LAKE | 61 | 32 | 47.6 | 41.1 | 89.2 | 0.7 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 9.2 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 0.1 | 18.1 |
| 2017-18 | HOO | 58 | 32 | 46.0 | 38.0 | 91.9 | 0.6 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 7.9 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 18.6 |
| 2018-19 | HOO | 58 | 32 | 41.9 | 35.8 | 86.2 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 8.2 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 15.6 |
| 2019-20 | OKAY | 70 | 32 | 48.9 | 36.5 | 90.7 | 0.4 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 6.7 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 17.6 |
| 2020-21 | PHX | 70 | 31 | 49.9 | 39.5 | 93.4 | 0.4 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 8.9 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 16.4 |
| 2021-22 | PHX | 65 | 33 | 49.3 | 31.7 | 83.7 | 0.3 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 10.8 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 14.7 |
| 2022-23 | PHX | 59 | 32 | 44.0 | 37.5 | 83.1 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 8.9 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 13.9 |
| Total | 1214 | 34 | 47.2 | 36.9 | 87.0 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 9.5 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 17.9 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
