Phoenix Suns forward Cam Johnson misses sixth straight game with right quad contusion

NEW ORLEANS – The Phoenix Suns still are without Chris Paul (fractured right thumb) and Cam Johnson (right quad contusion).

Suns coach Monty Williams didn't have an update on Johnson, who missed his sixth straight game Tuesday with the injury.

"He's still dealing with it," Williams said before Tuesday's game against the Pelicans (28-40).

Johnson suffered the same injury his rookie year and missed 10 games.

Williams talked about how such injuries can impact a player.

"I blocked someone's shot one time and my feet went up in the air and I landed on like the sweet spot on my back," Williams said. "The blood just rushed to that spot. I finished the game, but the next day, I couldn't lift my leg cause it was so tight. So I know what it's like. It's not fun. You can't sleep. You can't function the way you want to.

Johnson didn't travel with the team.

"Until that blood and contusion gets out of there," Williams continued. "Contusion, you think like, got a frog in his arm, but I'm telling you, it's much worse than that. Just having had that. I've played with broken bones before, but that, I couldn't even lift my leg up, let alone play in an NBA game. That's where he is right now."

Paul will likely miss the rest of Phoenix's regular season that ends April 10 against Sacramento. The Suns originally announced before the Feb. 20 All-Star game in Cleveland his thumb would be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks.

The 12-time All-Star injured his thumb against Houston right before the break.

The Suns (54-14) entered Tuesday's game 6-4 without Paul, who has been getting up shots and dribbling with his right hand in the last week or so.

Paul made trip to New Orleans where he began his NBA career.

As for Johnson, he hasn't seen action since March 4 when he scored a career-high 38 points in leading the Suns past the Knicks, 115-114, at home. Johnson hit a 31-footer off the glass at the buzzer.

After the game, Johnson said he took a knee to the thigh from Mitchell Robinson, who was contesting a shot.

Johnson is averaging a career-best 12.8 points in his third NBA season out of North Carolina. Starting a career-best 13 games this season, Johnson is also averaging career highs in field goal percentage (47.5%), 3-point percentage (44.8%), free throw percentage (87.3%), minutes played (26.3 per game) and rebounds (4.1 per game).

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns forward Cam Johnson remains out with right quad contusion