Is Chris Paul Playing Tonight? (Latest Injury Updates and News for Nets vs. Suns on Jan. 19)

The Phoenix Suns are back in action Thursday night as they face the Brooklyn Nets at 10 p.m. ET on TNT. One player's status to keep an eye on ahead of tip-off is Chris Paul, who's missed five straight games due to a hip injury but is making progress in his rehab.

Chris Paul Injury Update (1/19/2023)

It appears Paul has a chance to return on Thursday, though it may be slim. Head coach Monty Williams was noncommittal about the veteran guard suiting up against Brooklyn.

It's extremely encouraging that Paul was a full participant at practice on Wednesday. That puts him on track to take the floor in the coming days after previously missing practice due to his calf injury.

It'd be no surprise if Phoenix opts to play it safe with the 37-year-old veteran and waits for him to be as close to 100% as possible. Though the team's health woes have tanked them in the Western Conference standings, they're still very much in striking distance of the play-in tournament. Having Paul fully recovered so he can lead this team while Devin Booker is sidelined would be the wisest course, as much as it hurts to keep dropping games in the meantime.

Chris Paul Fantasy Outlook and Prop Bets Today

Paul isn't currently listed with any props available, according to FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA odds, which is another sign his status is in jeopardy. Assuming CP3 sits, Mikal Bridges figures to take on a bigger distributing role once again. Despite averaging just 3.4 assists this season, Bridges has upped that figure to 5.0 APG over the last five contests with Paul sidelined. Bridges has an over/under of 4.5 assists tonight, and the over at +126 odds is mighty attractive, especially since he's cleared that mark in three of his last four outings.

Speaking of Bridges, he's a prime play on FanDuel DFS if Paul sits again. He's averaging an impressive 39.6 FanDuel fantasy PPG over his last four contests, including a 55-point explosion on Jan. 10. The forward has free reign in this offense with Paul and Booker both out, and he's taking advantage of that opportunity. He's a lineup lock at a meager $7,100 price tag.

Isaiah De Los Santos is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Isaiah De Los Santos also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username zayyy05328. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

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