Bruised kneecap is affecting Clippers guard Chris Paul

OAKLAND — Chris Paul sat at his locker with his shirt off and an ice pack on each of his knees. His arms were folded and his lips were pursed as he talked with Clippers head athletic trainer Jasen Powell about his injured knee.

While Powell kneeled on one knee to the side of Paul, the Clippers’ All-Star point guard looked disturbed to be talking about how his bruised right kneecap limited his play Monday afternoon against the Golden State Warriors.

It was clear Paul was not his usual self and it became clear that Paul will be a game-time decision for the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night at Staples Center.

Paul had just four points against the Warriors, missing six of seven shots.

“I’m just mad because I feel like we let a game get away,” Paul said. “I didn’t feel like I could do what I wanted to do. Me being out there probably hurt us more than it helped us. I feel bad in that regard.”

Midway through the first quarter, Paul made a basket and ended up on the court after being fouled by Harrison Barnes.

Paul limped around the rest of the game, showing that he’s not completely healed from the kneecap injury that kept him out of three road games last week.

Paul returned to play against the Washington Wizards on Saturday night, but he was not the same player against the Warriors.

“We were about to call a timeout and I sort of faked it and tricked them,” Paul said. “I was determined to get to the basket. It was probably a dumb move.”

Paul said the plan was to have his knee evaluated before the Clippers left Oracle Arena and then decide if he should play against the Thunder.

“We’ll talk about it,” Paul said. “We’ll get it right.”

Hill held out of game

Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro already had planned on sitting forward Grant Hill against the Warriors.

Hill had played the previous five games after missing the first 36 games of the season because of a bone bruise in his right knee.

“It’s the fatigue factor of just him coming back,” Del Negro said. “It’s more precautionary than anything.”

Hill is averaging 4.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 14.4 minutes a game.

“He has to kind of get his rhythm back, get his condition back,” Del Negro said. “You can only do so by playing in games.”

broderick.turner@latimes.com

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