Hoops Habit
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NBA Player Power Rankings: MVP Candidates Continue To Clash

By Maxwell Ogden

January 18, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) dribbles the basketball against Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 121-100. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
January 18, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) dribbles the basketball against Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 121-100. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 14, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) dribbles against Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young (0) during the NBA game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) dribbles against Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young (0) during the NBA game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers

Position: Point Guard
Age: 31 (5/6/1985)
Experience: 12th Season
2016-17 Slash Line: .471/.395/.876
2016-17 Season Averages: 30.9 MPG, 17.5 PPG, 9.7 APG, 5.3 RPG, 2.3 SPG, 1.9 3PM

The Los Angeles Clippers may be the most unlucky organization in the NBA. Mere weeks after Blake Griffin went down with a knee injury, Chris Paul suffered a thumb injury that could force him to miss two months of action.

Paul has been playing at a Top 10 level throughout the 2016-17 NBA regular season, but a thumb injury could keep him out for as long as two months.

Paul had eight points, six assists, three rebounds, and one steal in just 14 minutes at the time of his injury. It was one game after he posted 20 points and 13 assists in a victory, and just three games after he posted 19 points and 18 assists in 29 minutes.

In the midst of what was shaping up to be another All-NBA season, Paul suffered a severe injury that was nothing more than the product of bad luck.

Had he not been injured, Paul would have likely maintained his Top 10 status throughout the 2016-17 NBA regular season. Instead, he’s going to fall out of the Top 20 until he returns and inevitably rises back up the rankings.

This is a tragic turn of events for Paul, who leads the league in Real Plus-Minus by a considerable margin and is a quiet MVP candidate.