With his right heel aching, veteran point guard Chris Paul departed the Phoenix Suns’ 100-88 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, adding to the team’s injury woes. After 14 minutes of play, Paul had two points, two rebounds, and two assists.
Paul tried to traverse a screen amid the second quarter when he appeared to trip or lose his footing. Nevertheless, he stumbled to a stop at the next whistle and left. He then proceeded to the locker room, where he remained until the team declared he would not return.
It’s still too early to determine whether Paul will lose any time. Before the game, the injury report did not include him, and right heel pain does not appear to be a major issue. He is already 37, though, and has endured numerous injuries over the previous few seasons. At the very least, this will be something to keep an eye on during the coming days.
The Suns cannot afford for another vital player to sustain an injury at this time. Deandre Ayton, the starting center, has only recently returned after missing several games due to an ankle ailment. On Monday, he also seemed to have an ankle niggle but could still play. Following surgery for a torn meniscus, starting forward, Cameron Johnson is out indefinitely. Jae Crowder is also absent from the Suns since he is on leave while he waits for a trade.
The Suns started strong and were in the first position in the Western Conference on Monday despite all their injury problems. They are still 7-3 and tied for the fourth-best record in the league after this defeat.