Hornets rookie Paul misses game against Knicks
Hornets rookie Paul misses game against Knicks
By JEFF LATZKE, AP Sports Writer
February 10, 2006
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Hornets point guard Chris Paul missed Friday night's game against the New York Knicks because of bruised ribs.
Paul, who leads all rookies in points (16.2), assists (7.7), steals (2.2) and minutes (35.7), was injured when he collided with Seattle's Nick Collison on a drive to the basket Wednesday.
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"He's not playing tonight," Hornets coach Byron Scott said before tipoff. "I
just ran into him in the hallway and he said he'll be ready at halftime. But that's just Chris being Chris." Paul was expected to miss at least two weeks when he tore a ligament in his right thumb in January. But after the Hornets lost 101-93 to Atlanta without him, he was back in the lineup only four days after the injury.
Paul is also recovering from a bruised tailbone suffered Monday at New Jersey, and he had a stiff neck following the fall against Seattle. He still wears a protective sleeve on his thumb.
Scott said he also planned to rest Paul for Saturday's game at Minnesota.
"We'll see how he feels Sunday. He'll come in and get treatment and everything," Scott said. "And then Monday morning when he comes up for shootaround, we'll see how he feels."
Paul, the No. 4 overall pick in last year's draft, has sparked the Hornets' dramatic improvement this season. Entering Friday, they were 25-23 and had the seventh-best record in the Western Conference. At the same point last year, New Orleans was 8-40.
"I think it's a good thing for our team right now," Scott said. "If we can win games without Chris, I think it gives these guys even more confidence. And it also shows when he comes back that we'll even be better."
Speedy Claxton, recovered from a mild concussion he sustained Wednesday, was expected to start in Paul's place against New York. Scott said Paul's absence would force him to experiment, perhaps using forward Rasual Butler at shooting guard.
"When you don't have one of your best players, sometimes that's what you have to do. You've got to put guys in different positions to see how they react, see how they play," Scott said. "Sometimes you come up with a home run, sometimes you don't."
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