Chris Paul Will Miss 8 Weeks After Thumb Surgery
Chris Paul will reportedly be out for about eight weeks after undergoing thumb surgery on Tuesday morning, according to Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com.
The five-time All-Star sprained his thumb in a practice with Team USA in early July, but was able to play through the injury, averaging 8.3 points, 5.1 assists and 2.5 steals in the 2012 London Olympics, as the Americans won gold.
Now it's time for Paul to get completely healthy, as the Los Angeles Clippers look ahead to next season.
Paul is critical to the team making the playoffs again in 2012-13. He averaged 19.8 points, 9.1 assists and 2.5 steals while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 37 percent from downtown last season, as the Clippers made it to the Western Conference semifinals before getting swept by the San Antonio Spurs.
It didn't take long for Paul and power forward Blake Griffin to build chemistry in their first season together, using the pick-and-roll many times to wreak havoc on opposing defenses. Griffin averaged 20.7 points and 10.9 rebounds while shooting a career-high 55 percent from the field last season.
The Clippers ended last season with a 40-26 record, just one game behind the Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles Lakers. This came after a 32-50 campaign in 2010-11. Paul clearly made his impact felt throughout the league this year.
The Clippers hope Paul can be 100 percent before the start of the season and that their success last season will serve as a building block for the future. While they are still chasing the Lakers in the Pacific Division, they are undoubtedly a playoff contender with Paul and Griffin on their side.
