Clips' Paul sits final play due to strained groin
Clippers point guard Chris Paul was conspicuously absent on the final play of Los Angeles’ loss to Golden State on Wednesday night, relegated to the bench, where he sat with a forlorn look on his face.
Coach Doc Rivers said Paul was not on the court at the end of the 112-108 loss to the Warriors because of a strained right groin.
“I wasn’t going to put him back out there,” Rivers said.
Rivers said Paul tried to sneak back on the court before the coach had to drag him back to the bench.
The Clippers don’t expect to be without Paul’s services for long.
“I don’t think it’s severe,” Rivers said. “It’s just too early in the season, so I took him out.”
Paul said he injured his groin “somewhere down the stretch,” adding, “I’ll be all right.”
He had 24 points and nine assists as the Clippers suffered their first loss of the season.
Paul played through a strained hamstring and hit the winning shot in Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs against San Antonio last season. He said that if this were a similar situation, he “probably” would have still been on the court.
“But it’s Game 5 [of the regular season],” he said.
Paul said he planned to “go home, let my kids take care of me.” And he certainly plans to play in the Clippers’ next game, Saturday against the Houston Rockets.
“Yeah. No question,” he said.
ESPN’s J.A. Adande and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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