Chris Paul reinjures right shoulder as Suns takes 3-2 lead on Lakers in first round
The Phoenix Suns obliterated the Los Angeles Lakers, 115-85, Tuesday night in taking a 3-2 series lead over the defending NBA champions.
Devin Booker delivered a monster Game 5 with a 30 points while Anthony Davis watched from the Lakers bench with an injured left groin.
The sellout Phoenix crowd of 16,163 still roared with deafening “BEAT L-A! BEAT L-A!” chants, but one play may once again change this series.
With Phoenix up 33 points with 6:47 left in the third quarter, Chris Paul once again went down grabbing at the right shoulder he injured in Game 1.
“I don’t want to give an official update until I get more information,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “I don’t have anything right now. He seems to be OK.”
a 100-92 Game 4 win in Los Angeles.
Then suddenly, he was down again just like Game 1 when he heard “a crack” when he collided with Cam Johnson in the first half of a 99-90 win.
“It scared me,” Paul said after Tuesday’s win. “I’ve been talking to (Toronto Raptors guard) Kyle Lowry a lot. He had a similar injury last year. A few other guys. Just a very uncomfortable feeling. Kind of helpless.”
Fouled by Wesley Matthews on a play that was reviewed but remained a common foul, Paul went to the back after sinking two free throws and didn’t return to action for the remainder of Game 5.Â
“At first, I was trying to see if it was a dirty play or not,” Suns forward Jae Crowder said. “Wes Matthews is my big brother. We both went to Marquette. I just went over and talked to (Matthews) and he was like, ‘I wasn’t trying to do anything dirty or hurt him. I went in for the rebound and I got a piece of him.’ ”Â
Paul watched the replay and concluded it was a clean play after he initially showed anger towards Matthews after being fouled on a boxout.
“We went with that,” Crowder said. “So it just happened to happen with Chris. It scared him a little bit. Hopefully he’s able to go next game. I’m sure he’ll be able to go.”
The second-seeded Suns still won in convincing fashion, but Paul said his neck and arm “snapped again” like Game 1.
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“It’s tough,” Booker said. “Obviously, it’s part of the game. Looking at the replay, I don’t think it was anything too malicious from Wes and Chris communicated that with him, but it’s unfortunate that he’s dealing with that already. It’s a physical game and plays like that happen, but he seemed in good spirits coming back out to the bench. His ability to make those two free throws and see the strength still there is good. I know he’s doing treatment around the clock. I know he’s getting ready for Thursday.” Â
Now the series shifts back to Los Angeles for Thursday’s Game 6 at Staples Center, where Davis may return and Paul may once again be limited as he was in Game 2 and 3, both of which the Suns lost to fall behind 2-1 in the series.
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