Chris Paul expected to return in mid-February

When Chris Paul fractured his hand during the Golden State Warriors narrow win over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, it felt like something of a death blow in a cursed season. The Dubs have struggled with injuries, suspensions, poor play, minutes crunches, and a lack of chemistry all year. The result has been a very frustrating package, and when it was announced that Paul’s injury would require surgery, it felt like the end was in sight.

But it looks like Paul’s injury won’t be the death blow, which isn’t to say the team won’t suffer one. We tend to think of an injury that requires surgery as being very long-term, but according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Paul is expected to return by…