In what’s already been a tumultuous and disappointing season for the Warriors, they’ve experienced another setback.
The team announced Friday night that point guard Chris Paul fractured his left hand and will be undergoing surgery for the injury next week.
“That’s tough, I feel so bad for Chris, I know he’s had a couple of hand surgeries before I believe, maybe on the other hand,” coach Steve Kerr said after the Warriors’ 113-109 win over the Pistons. ”I saw him holding it and instantly was worried. Just got the word after walking off the floor. So I feel terrible for Chris and obviously guys will step up and be ready to play. We’ve got to hold down the fort without him.”
With a little over six minutes to go in the third quarter, Paul, 38, attempted a contested 3-pointer but hit the front of the rim.
The rebound came out long, and he went for it but appeared to collide with Detroit guard Jaden Ivey, who corralled the ball and brought it up to the other side of the court.
Paul was then seen grabbing his left hand and went to the locker room before being ruled out for the remainder of the night.
“It’s tough, Chris is a really big part of the team,” said Dario Saric, also Paul’s teammate in Phoenix. “We’re going to need to figure it out somehow. … It’s a huge loss.”
He finished with eight points, six rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes.
It’s the second time in the last three years Paul will undergo a procedure on that part of his body after he had left wrist surgery in 2021 while with the Suns.
The 12-time NBA All-Star came into Friday night averaging nine points and 7.3 assists per game.
“It’s going to be tough, Chris is an all-time great and he’s fit right into our team and made life so much easier not only on Steph (Curry), but he’s kind of captained that second unit,” Kerr said.
The Warriors will now largely rely on Brandin Podziemski and Cory Joseph at point guard with Moses Moody getting back into the team’s rotation, The Athletic reported.
— with AP