Chris Paul targets Sunday return
— -- PLAYA VISTA, Calif. -- Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul, who has been out since Jan. 3 with a separated right shoulder, plans on playing Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers but coach Doc Rivers said he will wait until game time to make an official decision.
"I fully know that he wants to play, let's put it that way," Rivers said Saturday. "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."
Paul has been shooting and participating in contact drills for the past week and went through practice with the team on Saturday, which was the Clippers' first practice in more than two weeks. Paul has missed the past 18 games and the Clippers are 12-6 during that stretch.
"I think it's going to take Chris some time to get his rhythm back," Rivers said. "That's why I am hoping he is healthy and we can play him Sunday, have a practice on Tuesday and play him Wednesday. I think that helps. I think it's going to take a couple weeks for him to get his rhythm back, no doubt."
Paul had previously said he also plans on playing in next week's NBA All-Star Game and Rivers said he was fine with that given the lack of defense and physical play in the exhibition game.
"I like him playing in the All-Star Game, personally," Rivers said. "I think this is a rare case where he's ready to play and the All-Star Game is probably the safest venue for him to play. I think it will just be a good thing for him to get up and down, whether he plays these next two games or just one of the games. It allows him to go up and down in NBA game with really good players that don't play defense in the game, so I think that would be very good."
J.J. Redick, who has missed the last two games with a bruised right hip, and Hedo Turkoglu, who missed Friday's game against the Toronto Raptors with bruised right knee, are officially listed as day to day. Both were in uniform for Saturday's practice.
"I personally don't expect J.J. tomorrow but you never know," Rivers said. "I know he told me yesterday he was playing on Sunday, but I watched him walk down the hallway leaving the arena and I don't see him playing tomorrow."
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