Warriors’ Chris Paul fractures hand; surgery set for next week،
SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul fractured his left hand and will have surgery next week, the team announced Friday evening.
Paul was injured midway through the third quarter of the Warriors' 113-109 win over the Detroit Pistons. With 6:06 left in the third, Paul attempted to grab a long rebound on a missed 3-point shot when his hand awkwardly made contact with Detroit's Jaden Ivey.
Paul immediately began grabbing and bending his hand and returned to the locker room. There is no timetable for his return, but he is expected to be back this season.
“It’s tough,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I feel so bad for Chris. I know he's had a few operations on his hand before, I think, maybe on the other hand. I saw him holding it and I was immediately concerned. I just got the message after leaving the floor. So I feel bad for Chris, and obviously the guys are going to step up and be ready to play. We have to hold the fort without him.
A 19-year veteran, Paul has a long injury history, 11 of which were hand injuries – five to his left and six to his right. He has undergone four hand or wrist surgeries, most recently on his left wrist after appearing in the 2021 NBA Finals with the Phoenix Suns.
“I just feel bad for him. I know he's had some tough times in his career,” Stephen Curry said. “We're trying to find a rhythm as a team … and he's been a big part of that.”
Paul is averaging 8.9 points on 42.4% field goal shooting and 7.2 assists in 27.6 minutes per game. He had three games with 10 assists and no turnovers this season, the second most in the NBA behind Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton.
Paul has started the last four games after being the anchor of the second unit. The move was made to try to help Curry get off the ball more — something that has become crucial while Draymond Green serves his indefinite suspension.
“Especially in the last two years, I'm able to adapt to everything that happens. I know it's another challenge now to come back to another different formation with the absence of CP,” said Curry. “I have to be able to make the adjustments, Klay has to do the same, so we can continue to be aggressive.”
Paul's playmaking and ball control will be what the Warriors will miss the most. When Paul is on the court, the Warriors have a turnover percentage of 13.2%, 10th best in the NBA. That jumps to 16.2% when he's not on the court, which puts him last.
His 6.1 assist ratio this season is second best in the league, behind Tyus Jones.
“He’s such a cerebral player,” Curry said. “He knows how to manage the game and organize us. We had a period where we had a rough start. It's obviously because of Draymond being out and how different we are as a team trying to run our system CP is a great addition to this stream.
The Warriors are also without guard Gary Payton II, who will be out indefinitely with a left hamstring strain.
Now, the Warriors will rely more on Brandon Podziemski and Cory Joseph. Before Paul joined the starting lineup on December 30, Podziemski was part of that group.
Paul's absence will also open up more opportunities for Moses Moody, who has been out of the rotation for the past six games. Before playing 5½ against Detroit, Moody was listed as “DNP” in the previous three games.
“Everyone needs to step up,” Podziemski said. “It's going to take a team effort, just like it did tonight. Cory, Moses, they gave us a great boost in the third and fourth quarters, and that's really what kept us in front during this sequence.”
