Chris Paul Won't Return vs. Heat After Hamstring Injury Diagnosed as Strain

Houston Rockets point guard Chris Paul suffered a hamstring injury during Thursday's game against the Miami Heat.

Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reported the veteran was ruled out for the remainder of the contest with a strain.

"It'll be some time," head coach Mike D'Antoni said regarding Paul's return, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. D'Antoni added Paul will undergo a MRI on Friday.

Paul arrived in Houston in a June 2017 trade from the Los Angeles Clippers to create a dynamic one-two punch in the backcourt with James Harden. He's long been one of the NBA's most effective players, ranking first among guards in win shares since his rookie season in 2005-06, per Basketball Reference.

Injuries have held the 33-year-old Wake Forest product back throughout his career, including in recent seasons. He missed a combined 45 games over the past two years because of multiple ailments, including consistent knee and hamstring issues.

If the veteran guard is forced back to the sideline, Brandon Knight and Michael Carter-Williams figure to see the biggest uptick in playing time as part of the backcourt rotation.

That said, Harden is likely to take much of the ball-handling duties, and Eric Gordon will serve as a secondary playmaker.

Paul is at the stage where the Rockets can expect to play without him for a couple of stretches throughout the campaign. Houston will just hope he's at full strength when the playoffs roll around in the loaded Western Conference.