Chris Paul #3 of the Houston Rockets checks on referee Tre Maddox #73 after he fell during their NBA game against the Golden State Warriors at ORACLE Arena on October 17, 2017 in Oakland, California. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP
Houston Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni downplayed the seriousness of point guard Chris Paul’s knee injury, but US media reported Friday he could miss up to four weeks.
“It’s only a bump,” D’Antoni told reporters as he revealed Paul would sit out Saturday’s home opener against the Dallas Mavericks.
“It’s not a tear or something like that. It’s a bruise. We just have to make sure he’s 100 percent the next time he plays.
“I don’t think there’s (concern). All indications are he should be OK.”
But the New York Times and ESPN were among the outlets reporting that Paul could be sidelined for a month. ESPN, citing unnamed sources, said the team had been making inquiries about acquiring a fill-in point guard.
Nine-time All-Star Paul joined the Rockets in the off-season via a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers.
He along with newcomers Luc Mbah a Moute and PJ Tucker were brought in to give superstar James Harden more support as the Rockets seek to challenge the Golden State Warriors’ hegemony in the Western Conference.
Paul, who was hurt when he banged knees with Memphis Grizzlies guard Mario Chalmers in a pre-season game, was hampered by the knee in Tuesday’s season-opening triumph over the Warriors.
He scored just four points and handed out 11 assists and sat out the Rockets’ game at Sacramento the following night.