Los Angeles Clippers guards Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups participated in practice and full-contact scrimmage Tuesday heading into Wednesday's preseason game against the Utah Jazz.
Paul, who started his first game last week since having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb, will get the start Wednesday.
Paul played 22 minutes in the Clippers' 99-89 win over the Miami Heat in Shanghai last week. He had hoped to play one game in China as a gift to his Chinese fans but wasn't able to play as many minutes as he would have liked, finishing with 4 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds.
"It was exciting but I didn't get to play the fourth quarter even though I was itching to play," Paul said of his preseason debut. "Tomorrow is actually the first game that the doctors really cleared me to play. I begged them when I was overseas because a lot of my friends that have supported since I was a rookie were there and they let me play a few minutes but tomorrow is really the go date."
As for Billups, Tuesday was the first day he was able to practice fully in contact drills without any restrictions.
Billups, who had season-ending surgery to repair a torn left Achilles tendon in February, didn't join the Clippers on their eight-day trip to China, and will not play during the preseason but is still hoping to return sometime in November or December.
"I feel good. I feel really good," Billups said. "It will probably take me a little while to get my rhythm back. I haven't played since February. I feel good but I just need to take my time and get my rhythm back."
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