March 10--Clippers point guard Chris Paul wasn't sure he'd be able to play in Monday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Paul and Warriors' guard Stephen Curry knocked knees in Sunday's game, and Paul needed to have his left knee X-rayed after the game. The X-rays were negative but Paul was still hurting.
"It's nothing serious," Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said before Monday's game. "But when you bang your knee, there's swelling. It really comes down to how well he can function."
Paul decided to play for the short-handed Clippers, who were already missing Blake Griffin (right elbow) and Jamal Crawford (right calf bruise).
He didn't look quite like himself, finishing with only two points on one-for-six shooting. But he managed 15 assists in the Clippers' 89-76 victory.
"Obviously I couldn't be as aggressive as I would have liked to but, like I said, it just shows you the depth of our team," Paul said. "J.J. got it going, DJ shot lights out today, 10 for 11, he's been shooting the ball unbelievably. The bench stepped up. Austin was huge. I only played 29 minutes tonight so that was good."
With a hobbled Paul, J.J. Redick led the Clippers with 26 points on 10-for-19 shooting. DeAndre Jordan had 20 points and 17 rebounds. And Austin Rivers and Matt Barnes each added 13 points.
Paul said that one of his goals this year was to play all 82 games, and he wasn't about to miss Monday's game unless he really had to.
"I feel like if I could get out there and contribute and help the team, you know, we need all of the bodies we could get out there and we need the wins right now," Paul said.
The Clippers, who have only 18 games remaining in the regular season, are in fifth place in the Western Conference with a record of 41-23.
After the game Paul claimed he was feeling OK.
"I'm all right," he said. "Any time you win, it makes everything feel a little bit better."
Paul said that he plans on playing Wednesday at Oklahoma City against the Thunder.
"I'll be in there getting treatment," he said. "We'll be ready to go."
