Hornets' Paul leaves game vs. Blazers with ankle injury
Posted Nov 14 2009 3:00AM
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Chris Paul had to be helped off the court by teammates after apparently injuring his left ankle late in the third quarter of the Hornets' home game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.
Moments after setting up Hilton Armstrong's dunk, Paul appeared to land on Joel Przybilla's foot, before falling hard to the court and writhing in pain. It was the same ankle New Orleans' star point guard twisted earlier in the week during a victory in Los Angeles over the Clippers.
Paul had been struggling throughout the game, going 1-for-8 from the field in the Hornets' first game since the firing of coach Byron Scott. Paul had three points, eight assists and five rebounds when he left the game and the Hornets were trailing 62-52 at the time.
He said it was ''obviously'' strange for him to take the floor without Scott, the only NBA coach he's had, directing the team from the sideline.
''It was different, but it's something I'm going to have to get used to,'' Paul said. ''At the end of the day, the game is basketball and we're going to play. I'm happy about our effort tonight.''
Paul left the arena on crutches, saying he would not play Saturday night in Atlanta and beyond that could not be sure about how serious the injury was.
''I hate to watch and I hate to know that I'm going to miss a game,'' said Paul, who said he expected about 75 friends and relatives to attend the Atlanta game. ''They just took X-rays. I don't know anything.''
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