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Home » Suns hopeful Chris Paul returns from COVID protocols for Game 3 of Western finals vs. Clippers, per report

Suns hopeful Chris Paul returns from COVID protocols for Game 3 of Western finals vs. Clippers, per report

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Chris Paul, who has missed the first two games of the Phoenix Suns‘ Western Conference finals matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers due to the NBA‘s health and safety protocols, could make his way back to the court for Game 3. The Suns are hopeful that Paul could clear the league’s quarantine mandate in time for Thursday’s tipoff, according to ESPN.

Paul was first placed into the protocols last Wednesday, and the league did not provide a specific timetable for his return. Throughout the season, players who tested positive were required to quarantine for 10-14 days, but Paul’s case could be different because he is reportedly vaccinated. The ESPN report indicates that Paul has been asymptomatic while away from the team in Los Angeles.

Should Paul be cleared to play in Game 3, Suns coach Monty Williams said he will not hesitate to throw his point guard directly into the fire.

“I’m sure if I tried to keep Chris out of the game, we’d have to square off and go toe-to-toe,” Williams said before Game 2. “So we’ll just make that assessment when the time comes.”

The Suns won Game 1 of the series without Paul, with Cameron Payne stepping up in his absence.

The Suns aren’t the only team in this series to be dealing with a critical absence. The Clippers are currently without Kawhi Leonard, who is dealing with a knee injury suffered in the second round against the Utah Jazz. He did not travel with the Clippers to Phoenix after missing both Game 5 and 6 of the second round against Utah. 

There is no timeline on his return at the moment either. However, the Clippers, like the Suns, have shown they can hold their own without Leonard. They were tied 2-2 against the Jazz when Leonard went down, but managed to win the next two games — one of which came on the road in Salt Lake City, where the Jazz had been 31-5 at home in the regular season. The other was a 25-point comeback at home to clinch the series in Game 6. 

Paul spent six seasons with the Clippers earlier in his career. He has never made the NBA Finals, but neither have the Clippers as a franchise. One of them will get there for the first time, but it’s unclear how active a role Paul will be able to play in attempting to make that elusive first trip to the Finals. Paul has been carrying teams for his entire career. Now, his teammates might have to help get him over the hump. 

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