At 37, Chris Paul has more playing days behind him than what’s to come for the remainder of his career. Paul’s age and injury proneness have both reared their heads during the season.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Now, after being diagnosed with left groin tightness in Game 2, there is a possibility that Paul may have played his last game with the Phoenix Suns.
Paul’s initial timeline to return could be as little as missing Games 3-5 against the Denver Nuggets. It isn’t the first time he’s been on the sideline for an extended amount of time this season.
The future Hall of Famer missed 14 consecutive games earlier in the season with a heel injury. Afterwards, a hip injury keep him on the DNP list for seven games in January.
The difference in those games and the current scenario is a 0-2 deficit to a deep and focused Nuggets squad. The Suns’ hurdles to grab a win over the Nuggets go beyond Paul’s availability.
Still, missing the veteran Point God will certainly add to head coach Monty Williams’ issues. Paul was able to score 11 points while dishing out five assists against Denver in Game 1. He shot 45 percent from the field in 32 minutes.
As pointed out by some pundits on the internet, however, Paul’s absence could bring about even greater elevation from Devin Booker.
Booker has become an outstanding playmaker for teammates this season. He finished the regular season averaging 5.5 assists per game. Without Paul in the fold though, those numbers increase.
Devin Booker in games without Chris Paul this season:
29.3 PPG
5.4 RPG
6.5 APG
49/41/88%Point Book incoming? 👀 pic.twitter.com/voYTAmnq2b
— Booker Muse (@DevinBookerMuse) May 2, 2023
At the current, Booker’s facilitating abilities will be heavily relied upon. He’s averaging 6.6 assists during the playoffs so far.
Yet for Paul, his timing in coming back could be a case of far too late. To add to that, it’s no well-known secret that the Suns could be looking to move on from Paul as the offseason begins.
Much of what will remain with Paul’s tenure in Phoenix depends on how the Suns respond in Game 3 to keep their postseason run alive.
