2 min read • March 24, 2022
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Phoenix Suns veteran point guard Chris Paul will make his return tonight against the Denver Nuggets after missing the past 15 games with a fractured right thumb.
Paul suffered the injury on February 16 when his finger jammed in JaeSean Tate's arm while attempting a pass.
The 36-year-old was reportedly expected to be reevaluated after six-to-eight weeks, but will instead return at the five-week mark.
The early return from the avulsion fracture likely means there was no UCL or RCL involvement, good news for a player who has undergone four separate hand surgeries in his career.
Before his absence, Paul had played in all 58 games and was averaging 14.9 points and a league-high 10.7 assists per game. He still leads the league in assists this year, 0.5 better than second-place James Harden.
Paul returns to a 59-14 Suns team that went 11-4 without him and still sit atop the standings in the Western Conference.
Cameron Payne was a huge reason Phoenix continued its winning ways with Paul sidelined. Payne averaged 14.1 points, 9.5 assists and 4 rebounds in 11 games since Paul went out, including a career-high 16 assists against the Knicks.
The 27-yaer-old lefty will likely revert to the backup point guard role with Paul back.
The Suns are 1-point underdogs on the road against the Nuggets tonight and the over/under is 232.5, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
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