Heat ready to compete again vs. Nuggets

On a recent episode of the Good Word with Goodwill podcast from Yahoo! Sports, veteran ESPN/Andscape reporter Marc Spears dropped some intel on Chris Paul’s fit with his new team. Spears told Vince Goodwill that Paul is expected to start for the Golden State Warriors this season.

“I do expect him to start. And I think it’s like five-minute spurts,” Spears said. “I don’t know that they really want his minutes to be high, but I think they’re gonna try it. I could be wrong, but that’s the gist I’m getting. This isn’t an opinion that he’s expected to start. It’s what I’m hearing. He’s never not started in his career.”

In his 18 NBA seasons, Chris Paul has played in 1,214 regular season games and started in every one of them. The veteran point guard has played in an additional 149 games in the playoffs and has started all of those games, as well.

The Warriors regular starting lineup features Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney. All five of those players are returning to Golden State for this season, which means one would be bumped to a reserve role if Paul starts.

Karl-Anthony Towns is entering the “final stages” of his rehab from a calf injury, but there is still no timetable for when he will return.

Chris Finch gave the update on Towns to reports before the Minnesota Timberwolves lost to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Towns has been out since November with the injury.

“He’s doing some basketball activities now, which is good to see,” said Finch. “Still no real timeline for him though.”

The Wolves still expect Towns to return despite his extended absence.

“There’s a sense of real urgency for him to, I think now, he can see the end in sight, and I think he’s getting excited by that,” said Finch.