SHORT HANDED
What is next for the Rockets with Chris Paul out?
SportsMap Staff
May 25, 2018, 3:12 pm
Chris Paul's twisting and turning has him off the court for Game 6. Bob Levey/Getty Images
The Rockets made it official on Friday: Chris Paul will not play in Game 6 of the NBA Finals in Oakland on Saturday night. Paul was injured late in the crucial Game 5 victory that put the Rockets up 3-2 in the series.
It remains to be seen if Paul will be available for a potential Game 7 on Monday, or even the NBA Finals should the Rockets get that far. Rest assured, they would not be up 3-2 without his efforts in Games 4 and 5. He was terrific in the second half of Thursday's game, and basically willed the Rockets to victory.
Paul has a long injury history and played 38 minutes in Game 5 before the injury, which was so bad he could not get to the other end of the court to play defense.
Eric Gordon likely slides into Paul's role, and it probably means more minutes for Gerald Green. It also likely means time on the floor for Luc Mbah a Moute or Ryan Anderson, forgotten men in this series.
And while Paul's loss is a devastating blow, the Rockets might still be able to pull things out if James Harden can shake a ridiculous slump that has seen him miss 20 consecutive 3-pointers. If he can show up, have a big game and get some help from Gordon and the rest of the supporting cast, the Rockets might be able to get it done.
If so, it will be without Paul, at least for Game 6 and probably beyond.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.