The momentum of the Suns' red-hot start to the 2021-22 season took a major hit when All-Star Chris Paul suffered a right-hand injury on Wednesday, Feb. 16.
On Sunday, Feb. 20, the Suns announced that an MRI revealed that Paul's injury was a right thumb avulsion fracture that would be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks, most likely sidelining him until the playoffs.
MORE: How long is Chris Paul out? Injury timeline, return date, latest updates on Suns guard
At 36 years old in his 17th season, Paul is unquestionably still one of the league's premier players, as evidenced by his 12th All-Star selection and averages of 14.9 points, 10.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds through his first 58 games this season.
Not only does Paul's extended absence leave a Point God-sized void in Phoenix, but it also could have a much wider impact on the final stretch of the season.
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The impact of Chris Paul's injury
Phoenix Suns
It would be foolish to start anywhere but The Valley of the Sun, where Paul was playing at an All-NBA level prior to going down.
Paul, who has had his fair share of injury woes in years past, appeared in each of the Suns' first 58 games, with the team going 48-10. In fact, the Suns had won 21 of their last 24 games with Paul in the lineup.
It's admittedly a small sample size, but Phoenix lost two of its first four games without Paul, coming up short to the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz.
There's no singular player that can replace Paul's production, but the Suns are built to do so by committee, adopting a next-man-up approach.
Who steps up? In the first game without Paul, All-Star Devin Booker assumed playmaking responsibilities, dishing out 12 assists — 10 of which came in the first three quarters — in a win over the Thunder.
Booker is clearly capable of being such a playmaker, but it could be to the Suns' detriment if an emphasis on playmaking limits Booker's scoring.
Phoenix has a trio of lead guards in Aaron Holiday, Cameron Payne and Elfrid Payton that can combine to make a major impact. Payne did an incredible job filling in for Paul during the 2021 NBA Playoffs and the trio will get invaluable reps ahead of the playoffs filling in for Paul, which is important considering Payne's return from injury actually coincided with Paul's injury.
Western Conference playoff race
By winning 50 of their first 62 games, the Suns did themselves quite a favor with respect to the race for the No. 1 seed.
With just over a month of games remaining, the Suns have built a nice cushion over the second-seeded Warriors and third-seeded Grizzlies.
It would take a colossal meltdown for the Suns to relinquish the first seed but it's not yet out of the realm of possibility.
Even if Phoenix has the No. 1 seed virtually locked up, Paul's injury could make the team appear a bit more vulnerable to a potential eighth-seeded Timberwolves or Clippers, who, by the way, could be closer to full strength by season's end.
Don't count out the Pelicans, who are playing great basketball and while the Lakers have been freefalling, they still have LeBron James, which counts for something.
The complexity of Chris Paul's return
With Paul sidelined for six to eight weeks from Feb. 20, he'll be re-evaluated and cleared as the regular season ends and the playoffs begin.
On one hand, there's Booker's viewpoint of things:
Suns guard Devin Booker, on Chris Paul missing at least the next 6-8 weeks with a broken thumb: “I look at the beauty of it. He gets to rest his legs. He gets to get ready for a long postseason that we’re trying to make happen.”
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) February 21, 2022
But it could prove to be a bit more complex.
The Suns are more than likely going to finish first in the West and Paul having a thumb injury won't permit him from weight-bearing conditioning exercises but Phoenix will be forced to adjust to playing without him for this period of time.
How much of an adjustment will it be to incorporate Paul back into the swing of things?
Don't get me wrong, Paul is one of the 75 greatest players to ever play the game for a reason but there will be adjustments in the rotation and some roles will decrease, which is something the team will need to work through, either at the end of the season or to open the postseason.
As the top seed, it shouldn't be too big of a problem, but it's certainly something worth considering as the Suns return to full strength.
