Hornets' Paul will attempt to play through injury

BETHANY, Okla. (AP) -Hornets guard Chris Paul will try to play the rest of the season despite an injury to his left foot. He will sit out practices to keep the injury from worsening.

Paul looked on as his team practiced Thursday, a day after an MRI revealed the stress reaction.

"Our doctors have said as long as he feels OK, that he can play," New Orleans coach Byron Scott said. "The biggest thing right now is he can't do both. He can't practice and play. That's too much pounding."

Paul said he doesn't know when he was injured, adding the foot doesn't hurt during games. It bothered him enough after a 112-108 loss to New Jersey on Tuesday that he had an X-ray after the game, then the follow-up the next day.

"I don't know the extent of it or nothing like that," Paul said. "I just know I'm going to play. I've been playing this long with it."

Paul was to travel with the team to New York and was expected to play Friday night against the Knicks.

With Peja Stojakovic recovering from back surgery, Paul has the highest scoring average on the Hornets at 17.2 points. He ranks fourth in the NBA in assists, averaging 8.8.

New Orleans entered Thursday tied for 11th place in the Western Conference, but only one game behind the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors - the two teams tied for the eighth and final playoff spot.

If Paul can make it through the end of the season, the Hornets will re-evaluate the injury to determine the next step.

Paul said he didn't know what impact the injury might have on his participation with the U.S. national team this summer.

"I really haven't even thought that far in advance," Paul said. "I'm going to just see how everything goes as the season goes on, and after the season I'll probably get it looked at again."