Chris Paul was a huge addition to the Los Angeles Clippers this season but as the season
progressed, CP3 got hit with the injury bug and has been out of action since January 14 and “Lob City” has been weathering the storm without their floor captain.
Paul suffered a hamstring injury Jan. 14 versus the Los Angeles Lakers and has missed five games. The good news is CP3 is feeling much better and could have returned to the court for the Clips versus the Raptors this past Sunday but head coach Vinny Del Negro is playing it safe with Paul’s return.
“We worked him out (Saturday) and he feels great,” Del Negro said. “But I just think the smart, prudent thing to do right now is to give him a couple more days and a couple more workouts and practices.”
“I just think that we feel it’s in the best interest in terms of the big picture,” Del Negro said. “He wants to be out there, but the big picture is that we have a lot of games. To be a little cautious now, we feel, makes a little more sense.”
I’ve always been an advocate of playing it safe, proper planning, and thinking long-term and this approach by Del Negro is the right course of action. The last thing this Clips team needs is to rush Paul back from injury only to see him re-aggravate his injury at the wrong time. Say the stretch-run towards the playoffs?
And once Paul is back and raring to go, it will also be a welcomed relief for veteran guard Chauncey Billups. Del Negro can then rest Billups more in the hopes of seeing him not suffer an injury as well and give minutes to Paul and Mo Williams.
The Clippers are 3-2 without Paul and will next face the Lakers this Wednesday in what could be CP3’s return.
