Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul, left, battles with Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, right, for a loose ball during the first half of Game 2 of their NBA basketball first-round playoff series Tuesday, May 25, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul is not a game-time decision and will be available Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro.
The point guard was listed on the official injury report as probable (right shoulder contusion) to play Game 3 at Staples Center.
His injury, suffered in a Suns Game 1 victory on Sunday, has been reported as a stinger.
“I felt bad for him just because of what happened in the past with injuries in the playoffs with him,” Suns forward Mikal Bridges said Thursday after shootaround. “I felt his pain and I know he was tough on himself.
“Today, yeah, he was out there at shootaround. He’s going to work as hard as he can to be 100. To me, I just see him out there, moving around, feeling better, so I think he’s doing OK.”
Paul played 23 minutes and scored six points to go with five assists and three turnovers in Phoenix’s Game 2 loss to Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was replaced down the stretch by backup point guard Cam Payne as head coach Monty Williams grew concerned over the limitations that the Paul’s injury was presenting to him.
“I took him out,” Williams said after the loss on Tuesday. “It was all me, just looking at him hold his arm the way he was holding it. I just couldn’t watch him run like that. He’s trying to make plays. He battled. He’s a warrior. We all know that. I just made a decision to take him out.
“It’s pretty obvious he’s not able to make the passes he wants,” Williams added. “He was laboring tonight. … He wasn’t even running the way that he ran and dribbled the ball this morning, so we’re hopeful it’ll get better over the next 48 hours.”
