HOUSTON – The Rockets will be without star guard Chris Paul for Game 6 because of a strained hamstring, a huge blow for a team trying to close out the Golden State Warriors.
Paul was injured in the fourth quarter of Thursday night's victory, which gave the Rockets a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals.
"I hate it for him, above all," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "He's practically won us the last two games. But great opportunity for other guys and we have plenty to choose from and we'll be ready."
Eric Gordon, the star of Game 5, will start in Paul's place Saturday night in Oakland, Calif. Gordon started 30 games this season while Paul and James Harden dealt with injuries.
"It will not change anything that we do or how we do it," D'Antoni said.
Paul's right leg will be re-evaluated after the team returns to Houston. On Friday, he was with the team, laughing and joking with teammates as they walked on the court for practice.
Harden said the Rockets don't have time to dwell on the absence of Paul.
"We want to keep our same swagger, our same positive energy," he said. "We try to feed that off to him as well: 'Be happy, be ready; get this thing right, get this thing going and be back in no time.' "
