Thunder point guard Chris Paul is away from the team Monday night for what's officially listed as personal reasons.
Paul's absence comes a day after the tragic death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. Paul will miss his first game of the season when the Thunder and Mavericks tip-off at 7 p.m. at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Paul and Bryant played against each other for 11 NBA seasons. They were Team USA teammates. They would have been Laker teammates had late NBA commissioner David Stern not vetoed a trade between the Lakers and New Orleans Hornets in 2011.
Thunder coach Billy Donovan said he's had several conversations with Paul since the news Sunday afternoon that Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash.