Clippers’ Chris Paul keeps playing through the pain

Chris Paul sat in his chair with both feet in a bucket of ice and towels draped over his legs and shoulders after the Clippers had defeated the Utah Jazz on Friday night.

Paul was dealing with another injury after he had rolled his left ankle after scoring on a layup during the third quarter.

But Paul had also showed his resolve when another injury tried to derail the 6-foot, tough-minded point guard.

“Man, I’m living with JP,” Paul, shaking his head, said about Clippers trainer Jasen Powell. “For real.”

After he was injured against the Jazz, Paul went back to the locker room with Powell when the third quarter ended, had his ankle retaped and returned to play in the fourth quarter.

It has been a season in which Paul sat out 18 games with a separated right shoulder on which he wears a pad for protection. He has a sprained right thumb that is taped and he has a sore right groin.

Through it all, Paul bears, grinds and continues to play.

“I think the frustrating part is to know all the things I do to try and prevent all this stuff,” he said. “Like the working out, coming in early and all that stuff like that. You just never want to be one of those people who is known as injury-prone.”

In case there are any doubts, Paul will play Sunday night when the Clippers meet the Cleveland Cavaliers at Staples Center.

“Other people are probably dealing with stuff,” Paul said. “So, it’s all good.”

Green the consummate pro

He is a “professional,” is the constant refrain from the Clippers coaching staff and players about Willie Green.

That’s because Green never complains when he goes long stretches without playing.

And when Green does play, he simply steps in and does his job.

“It is a challenge,” he said. “However, that’s why we’re in this, dealing with challenges both mentally and physically. Not playing sometimes and then playing a lot of minutes, all that stuff, it’s part of it.

“But what I try to focus on is being the best I can be, being the greatest at my role — whatever that is at the time. If it’s five minutes, I want to be the best five-minute basketball player in the NBA.”

In the last two games, Green has been at his best.

He has scored in double figures in both games, 12 against Golden State and 13 against Utah.

He has made 60% (nine for 15) of his shots in the last two games, 60% (six for 10) from three-point range.

“To me, it’s more so the defense,” Green said. “Yeah, I want to score. But I get off on grinding on defense, just doing the things that we’re supposed to do.”

“I’m used to it,” Paul said. “I don’t expect nothing less. I don’t even notice if we go a few games and Willie hasn’t played, because as soon as he comes in, it’s just different. He’s just a pro.”

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner