And they’ll have their home crowd in front of them. “We know that they have two guys in Devin Booker and Kevin Durant that are great players. “Whether it’s Chris Paul, Cameron Payne, Landry Shamet, our game plan remains the same,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Wednesday. The Nuggets won the first two games of the series by double figures - 125-107 in Game 1 and 97-87 in Game 2. “We’ve just got to go out there and play our games and play together. “Obviously we’re going to miss Chris and what he brings to the table,” star forward Kevin Durant said Thursday. Warren are others who could see a bigger role. Landry Shamet, Terrence Ross, Damion Lee and T.J. He won’t be the only bench player for Phoenix who needs to step up on Friday. Payne’s unorthodox, herky-jerky playing style has proven effective during his time with the Suns. He missed most of the Suns’ first-round series against the LA Clippers because of a sore back but has played some the past three games. The 6-foot-1 Payne was limited to 48 games during the regular season because of a variety of injuries, but he averaged 10.3 points per game when healthy. He also missed the first two games of the Western Conference Finals against the Clippers after being place in COVID-19 protocol.īackup Payne was fantastic during Paul’s absence, scoring 29 points in a Game 2 victory over the Clippers that was arguably the best performance of his career.

The good news for the Suns is they’ve been through a similar scenario in the playoffs and flourished.ĭuring the team’s run to the Finals in 2021, Paul had a shoulder injury that limited his play for several games in the opening round. “He’ll still be there, being a leader, being vocal, but the things he does on the court, we’re just going to have to find other ways to be effective.” “You can’t replace what Chris brings to the team,” Booker said Wednesday. In a strange bit of scheduling, the Nuggets and Suns have three days off between Games 2 and 3. Three-time All-Star Devin Booker said the team has spent the past few days going through potential scenarios. “We’re hopeful that a few adjustments to the lineup - not just Cam Payne - but a couple of the guys that play and space the floor a little bit more can help us.” “We’ve been in these situations before where we’ve had guys go down and we’ve had a number of guys step up,” Suns coach Monty Williams said Thursday. His absence means the team will likely turn to backup guard Cameron Payne to fill in for Paul for as long as he is out. ET, ESPN) because of the left groin strain he suffered in Game 2 of the series, which the Suns trail 2-0.

If the Phoenix Suns are to emerge victorious in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinals series against the Denver Nuggets, they’ll do so without their star point guard.Ĭhris Paul has been officially ruled out for Friday’s Game 3 in Phoenix ( 10 p.m. Houston Rockets: 2018-2019Ĭhris Paul and the Houston Rockets made their presence felt in the NBA Playoffs during 20, but ultimately couldn’t get by the powerhouse Golden State Warriors.Suns coach Monty Williams speaks on how his team will adjust to Chris Paul being out of the lineup. In 2017, once again, the Clips were knocked out early in seven games. In 2016, the Clippers were knocked out in round 1 by the Portland Trailblazers. In 2015, the Clippers beat San Antonio in seven games in round 1, then lost to Houston in seven games. In 2014, the Clippers beat Golden State in seven games in round 1 then lost to Oklahoma City in six games. In 2013, despite going up 2-0, the Clippers lost to Memphis in six games in round 1. The first season, in 2012, the Clippers got by the Memphis Grizzlies in seven games and then lost to San Antonio in a four game sweep. LA Clippers: 2012-2017ĭuring his time in LA, Chris Paul and the Clippers were a regular presence in the playoffs. In 2011, New Orleans lost to the LA Lakders in six games. In 2009, New Orleans lost to Denver in five games. In 2008, the Hornets beat Dallas to get to the second round where they lost to San Antonio in seven games. Chris Paul’s NBA Playoffs History: Team Success New Orleans: 2008-2011Ĭhris Paul helped lead the New Orleans Hornets to the NBA Playoffs in 2008, 20.

Chris paul stats playoffs 2021