76ers at Clippers
Chris Paul expects to return on Sunday and it appears only a setback close to tip-off will prevent him from being out the court when the Los Angeles Clippers host the Philadelphia 76ers. Paul has missed 18 games with a shoulder injury and is pushing his return as he wants to play in next weekend’s All-Star Game. Philadelphia has a strong point guard in rookie Michael Carter-Williams but enters with a five-game skid.
The Clippers are 12-6 since Paul got injured and coach Doc Rivers expects it to take a couple weeks for Paul to regain his form. Rivers said he was still pondering Saturday whether or not to play Paul but all indications were that it would indeed happen. “I fully know that he wants to play, let’s put it that way,” Rivers told reporters. “I just don’t know if we’re going to allow him to play yet. I just want to see how he feels, how his body feels. I want to see him on the floor. I just want to make sure Chris is not pushing to play. Players do that.”
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (15-36): Philadelphia may lack assets but the point guard position is in pretty good shape with Carter-Williams excelling and backup Tony Wroten developing in his second NBA campaign. Carter-Williams is averaging 17 points and 6.6 assists and has been one of the league’s top rookies despite his outside shot – 29.6 percent from 3-point range – being a work in progress. Wroten is averaging 17.5 points over the last four games and his season average of 12.9 is a substantial improvement over his rookie output of 2.6 points for the Memphis Grizzlies.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (35-18): Power forward Blake Griffin has scored 36 or more points in each of the past three games and has strung together 11 consecutive games of 20 or more points. Griffin is the first player to post three straight 35-point outings since the Clippers relocated to Los Angeles with Lloyd Free – who starred for the San Diego Clippers – being the last to achieve it in 1979. “Man, that guy is amazing,” guard Willie Green said after Griffin scored 36 in Friday’s victory over Toronto. “He makes his mind up that he’s just going to be dominant and there’s nothing anybody can do.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Los Angeles has won six of the past eight meetings, including a 94-83 victory in Philadelphia on Dec. 9.
2. Sixers C Spencer Hawes has put together back-to-back double-doubles but had just two points and four rebounds in the December loss to the Clippers.
3. Clippers G J.J. Redick (back) will likely miss his third straight game.