Chris Paul will play in Game 3 with minutes checked

— -- PLAYA VISTA, Calif. -- Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul is in the lineup for Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets on Friday, coach Doc Rivers announced.

"We really pushed him," he said. "He looked good, but still, it's not the game. That's where early on I'll still watch because this injury is just one of those injuries that scared the hell out of me."

After an on-court workout Thursday and a shootaround Friday, Paul told teammates he planned to play.

Rivers said he will monitor Paul's minutes and watch him closely for any clues that his injury bothers him.

Paul averaged 19.1 points, 10.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game this season. This season marked the first time in his 10-year NBA career that he started all 82 games in the regular season.

Paul missed the first two games of the semifinals due to a strained left hamstring suffered in Game 7 against the Spurs.

The Associated Press and ESPNLosAngeles.com's Arash Markazi contributed to this report.