The New Orleans Hornets Injury Report: Chris Paul and Trevor Ariza – NBA Update
The New Orleans Hornets are doing their level best to overcome the recent spate of injuries that have struck their All-Star point guard Chris Paul and their small forward Trevor Ariza. Both players are imperative in the Hornets’ upcoming games, as the team
wants to make a deep run in the National Basketball Association play-offs.
Paul has been out since Sunday night’s encounter against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In a game that the Hornets won by 96-81, Paul tried to inbound the ball late in the third quarter, as he was denied by a human wall comprising of Ramon Sessions and Samardo
Samuels. When Paul tried to repossess the ball, he hit his forehead on Sessions' right shoulder and immediately fell to the floor.
Paul remained on the court, as he was attended to by the trainers from both teams. The four time All-Star swingman was eventually taken out of the Quicken Loan Arena on a stretcher and a furore about the concussion policy has gripped the NBA ever since.
Paul added 13 points and 11 assists in Hornets’ win before he was carted off from the court. He is averaging 15.9 points and 9.6 assists for the Hornets in this season.
Although Chris Paul is undergoing a complicated medical treatment by a neurologist, Hornets’ Coach Monty Williams is still unsure about the possible return date for his point guard. Williams said, “It's up to the doctors, he feels good. He's progressing
the way that they want him to, but it's one of those things that they don't want to mess around with.”
Despite Paul’s injury, the Hornets have received some pleasant news, as it comes in the form of the quick recovery of their ace forward Trevor who missed the last three games due to a groin injury. On Wednesday, before the encounter with the Dallas Mavericks,
Ariza practiced some hoops with his team–mates and seemed inline for the Hornets’ upcoming games.
Before the Mavericks’ game he expressed his feelings about in what way he is going to respond and said, “I'm feeling better. I'm going to give it a go tonight and see how things go, this is one of those injuries where if you don't take care of it, it will
linger. It's tough, man, because we are in a position where every game counts, it’s a tight race, but you've got to take care of yourself, so if we do get into the playoffs it won't keep lingering."
The small forward started against the Mavs, as the rust was evident from his play as he managed only 6 points on 0 for 10 shooting. However he grabbed nine rebounds to make some impact as the Hornets clipped the mighty Mavs 93-92.
Meanwhile, Paul's absence pushed the Hornets to sign D-League’s Jerel McNeal to a 10-day contract. McNeal has managed to play in 40 games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, with an average of 19.5 points and 4.5 assists per game.
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