The Clippers got off to a dream start and then held things together beautifully after Blake Griffin underwent minor knee surgery in mid-December, only to lose their other perennial All-Star to an extended injury that threatens both their short-term and long-term outlook.
Chris Paul will undergo surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, a procedure that is expected to sideline him for six to eight weeks. The nine-time All-Star sustained the injury while defending Russell Westbrook during a Clippers victory over the Thunder on Monday.
Given his current timetable, Paul is projected to be sidelined until sometime between March 1 and March 15, causing him to miss between 16 and 24 games.