Suns say Chris Paul is "day to day" with groin injury

Sports media are reporting Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul could miss multiple games due to a left groin injury he sustained in the team's loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday, while the team announced he's "day to day."

• That leaves CP3's status in serious doubt for the Suns' critical game 3 in Phoenix on Friday in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Arizona Republic and The Athletic reported the team expects Paul to miss the next three games while ESPN reported he's in doubt for the next two.

• ESPN said the possibility of Paul returning in time for Friday's game "is believed to be a significant challenge."
• Game 4 will be Sunday in Phoenix and game 5 will be in Denver on Tuesday if necessary.

Driving the news: Paul left game 2 with about 4.5 minutes to go in the third quarter of Monday's loss to the Nuggets, citing tightness in his groin. He didn't return and there's no word on whether Paul will be able to play in game 3.

Why it matters: CP3 runs the offense, and his absence is noticeable.

• The Suns were playing a tight game against the Nuggets until Paul went out. After that, the offense collapsed and Denver pulled ahead.
• Phoenix's shooting went cold and the Nuggets outscored them 27-14 in the fourth quarter.

• The Suns are in a 0-2 hole as the series comes to Phoenix for game 3, and it'll be extremely difficult for the team to climb out without Paul.

Of note: CP3 turns 38 on Saturday.

What we're watching: Cameron Payne, who's been a solid backup for Paul over the past three seasons, didn't look up to the task on Monday.

• After missing the first round of the playoffs with a back injury, Payne got his first significant amount of playing time in the postseason during game 2, scoring only two points off 1-7 shooting with a single assist in 17 minutes on the floor.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details throughout.

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