Hornets get leading scorer Paul back from ankle injury

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Reigning Rookie of the Year Chris Paul returned to the New Orleans Hornets' lineup Wednesday night after missing the previous month with a severely sprained right ankle.

Coach Byron Scott said he saw Paul warming up on a television monitor when he entered the Ford Center, and Paul almost beat him to his office. Once there, Paul bounced up and down to show that his ankle was healthy.

"He came in my office a little while ago just jumping up and down like it was his first pro game, just raring to go," Scott said before tipoff. "I can see it in his eyes that he's ready to go."

Scott could also tell it by looking at Paul, who'd shaved down a thin layer of hair that he'd let grow out since he hurt the ankle by landing on Seattle's Johan Petro during a drive through the lane on Dec. 26.

"If he cut his hair, he plans on playing," Scott said.

Paul's 18.4-point average is tops on the Hornets and he ranks third in the league with an average of nine assists. He returned to practice for the first time Tuesday, and went through the Hornets' shootaround on Wednesday morning.

"If it was hurting, I wouldn't play. If I felt like I was going to hurt the team, I wouldn't go out there," Paul said. "But so far, so good."

Scott said he expected Paul to focus more on getting his teammates involved until he got back into an offensive rhythm.

"I still think it's going to take him four or five games to really, really get back into the Chris Paul that we saw before he got hurt," Scott said.

The Hornets went 8-9 without Paul, including a three-game winning streak to start their current five-game homestand. Since Paul was hurt, the Hornets have had starting forward David West (elbow surgery) and backup guard Bobby Jackson (cracked ribs) return from injuries.

"The troops started to get a little bit healthier," Scott said. "When you get two of those guys back it makes your team better, and when you get Chris Paul back it makes your team much better."

Scott said he wanted Paul to play normally and not be cautious, but he did intend to limit the point guard's minutes.

"My biggest concern is his conditioning," Scott said. "I've got to make sure that I really watch him closely."

With Paul back, Scott said he was considering altering his starting lineup to move Devin Brown into the shooting guard position and make Rasual Butler one of his first reserves off the bench to sub for small forward Desmond Mason. Brown, who signed with the Hornets as a free agent in December, took over Paul's starting role after his injury.

Jackson and Jannero Pargo would also continue in reserve roles.

"I think all deserve to play," Scott said. "I think they all played pretty well."

The Hornets are still without Paul's starting backcourt mate, Peja Stojakovic. Stojakovic had back surgery in December and isn't expected back until March.