Chris Paul of the Houston Rockets kept mum when asked about his right elbow injury.
As per Tim MacMahon of ESPN:
Chris Paul is dealing with a right elbow injury that he won’t discuss. Asked how much it’s impacting his shooting, he said, “I can play better.” He’s taking a big share of the blame for the Rockets’ offensive struggles.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) November 9, 2018
The Rockets lost against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday night, sending their record to 4-6 to start off the season. It’s been a mystery to many on why the Rockets — last season’s best regular-season team — are off to a very slow start this year.
A look at the statistics, however, would reveal that Paul’s struggles might have had a hand in it. It turns out that the guard is suffering from a right elbow injury, though not much has been revealed about it. In their game against the Thunder, the Rockets, as a team, shot just 31-of-82 from the field and 11-of-42 from downtown. They also accumulated 17 turnovers.
Chris Paul, for his part, had a measly 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting. He did get five assists and six steals, but he also had six turnovers.
This was his third straight game shooting under 40 percent from the field and his second straight game with four or more turnovers. These statistics are uncharacteristic for Paul, who’s been known for his efficiency. For his career, he shoots at an impressive 47 percent and turns the ball over 2.4 times per game.
It would be unfair to put all the blame on Chris Paul. All of his teammates, including league MVP James Harden, have been off, too, as of late.
But then again, it’s too early in the season to count out the Rockets. Yet it’s pretty obvious that Paul’s injury is affecting his game. Perhaps it’s best for him to rest for a few games so as not to affect his health in the long run.
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