Suns' Chris Paul to miss 6-8 weeks with fractured thumb
The Phoenix Suns received a major blow on Sunday night, when it was announced ahead of the All-Star game that Chris Paul had fractured his thumb.
It was supposed to be a festive night for the Suns' Chris Paul. As the first recipient of the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, Paul was set to be honored in a special ceremony before the start of the All-Star game with the award being presented by Bryant's wife, Vanessa Bryant. In the end, it was not to be.
Chris Paul has a fractured thumb
A mere 10 minutes before tip off in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, TNT reported some bad news: Chris Paul's right thumb is fractured and as a result he will now face a minimum of six weeks before he is re-evaluated. Paul suffered the injury in the third quarter of Phoenix's win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. The moment came just before he was actually ejected from the game for bumping a referee.
What does Chris Paul's injury mean for the Suns?
With best record in the league at the moment, the Suns came into All-Star weekend as the clear favorites to win the title this season. Needless to say Paul's injury is a major blow at possibly the worst time. Should Paul go more than six weeks out he will certainly miss the remainder of the regular season, as the playoffs are have a start date of April 16th. Of course it should be said, that regardless of whether Paul can return for the playoffs or not, by the time they arrive he will have been absent for some time. Naturally the Suns' star will require time to recover his condition and rhythm. With Phoenix firing on all cylinders at the moment, Paul's injury is truly less than ideal.
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Is there any good news for the Suns?
If there is a silver lining in the whole scenario, it's that Phoenix have some breathing room. With a seven-game lead - where losses are concerned - over the No. 2 ranked Golden State Warriors, the Suns have got a firm grip on the top spot and in reality would have to completely capitulate in Paul's absence to let it go. There is also the matter of Devin Booker who has proven that he more than capable of leading the way. Of course it must be said that Paul's importance is critical. As the Suns' central playmaker, Paul has proven himself to be one of the best clutch players that the league has seen in recent years.