La Clippers Blake Griffin Injury
LOS ANGELES -- Clippers forward Blake Griffin suffered a left knee injury and had to leave in the fourth quarter of Monday night's 120-115 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers did not have an update on Griffin's condition but said Griffin's spirits were down after the game. He said Griffin will be further evaluated Tuesday and that the Clippers were hoping for the best.
1 day ago RELATED: Blake Griffin Is So Bad at Basketball Now That Heat Announcer Eric Reid Roasted Him for 48 Minutes. The Clippers drafted Blake Griffin with the first overall pick in the 2009 draft. However, the high-flyer missed his entire rookie season due to a knee injury. Once Griffin made his NBA debut in 2010-11, he was must-see TV. Blake Griffin just can’t seem to escape injury issues in the playoffs, this time going down with a bruised right big toe during the Clippers’ stirring 111-106 win over the Utah Jazz in Game 3. The injury-ravaged Clippers - already down three players - are in 'wait and see' mode with forward Blake Griffin, who left Monday's win over the Lakers with a knee injury. Clippers: In the April 12 Sports section, a headline on an article about Blake Griffin’s injury described Dr. Souryal as working for the Dallas Mavericks. Souryal is a former team doctor.
'It didn't look good,' Rivers said. 'But we'll just have to wait and see.'
Griffin became tangled with Lakers guard Lonzo Ball and Clippers guard Austin Rivers beneath the Lakers' basket as the scrum dived for a loose ball with 4:43 remaining in regulation. The collision didn't result in a foul call. Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. picked up the loose ball and scored on a layup while getting fouled by Rivers.
'You could see right when it happened,' Doc Rivers said. 'Lonzo was just trying to make a play, but he went in. Usually when you go in like that, that hard ... they call it.'
Griffin remained in the game on the ensuing Clippers possession, during which he missed a 10-foot hook shot. He ultimately checked out of the game and retreated to the Clippers' locker room following a layup by Lakers forward Brandon Ingram and a Clippers timeout.
Griffin left the locker room without speaking to reporters.
'I knew immediately, I thought,' Doc Rivers said. 'But then Blake said he was OK. I just saw his leg go in, and then when they switched on back-to-back plays, he couldn't move so we had to get him out of the game.'
The Clippers have been ravaged by injuries in recent weeks. They lost their starting point guard, Milos Teodosic, to a left foot injury during the third game of the season. His counterpart in the backcourt, Patrick Beverley, was lost for the season last week after undergoing microfracture surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Forward Danilo Gallinari missed his 10th consecutive game with a strained left gluteus maximus.
Griffin, who signed a new five-year, $173 million contract during the offseason, has been beset by injuries during his eight seasons in the NBA. Over the previous three seasons, he has played in 67, 35 and 61 games, respectively. Most recently, he was forced out of the Clippers' first-round playoff series when he hurt the plantar of his big right toe in Game 3 after missing 18 games during the regular season following arthroscopic surgery to his right knee.
Before he played his first regular-season game as a professional, Griffin broke his left kneecap during the 2009 preseason. In the summer of 2012 while training with Team USA, he tore his medial meniscus in the same knee.
The Clippers, 8-11 after winning their third consecutive game, next play on Thursday against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center. If Griffin doesn't take the floor, center DeAndre Jordan will be the only remaining member of the team's opening night starting lineup.
The Brooklyn Nets officially signed Blake Griffin on Monday. The former LA Clippers superstar, who reached a buyout agreement with the Detroit Pistons, will earn $1.2 million for the remainder of the 2020-21 season with Brooklyn.
The Nets aren’t getting prime Blake Griffin, as the former No. 1 overall pick is on his last legs in the NBA. Weirdly, Brooklyn is fortunate not to be getting the old Griffin.
Blake Griffin was must-see TV on the Clippers
RELATED: Blake Griffin Is So Bad at Basketball Now That Heat Announcer Eric Reid Roasted Him for 48 Minutes
La Clippers Blake Griffin Injury Last Night
The Clippers drafted Blake Griffin with the first overall pick in the 2009 draft. However, the high-flyer missed his entire rookie season due to a knee injury.
Once Griffin made his NBA debut in 2010-11, he was must-see TV. The Oklahoma native won the 2010-11 Rookie of the Year Award and finished the season with averages of 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. Griffin not only put up stellar numbers, but he also dunked on literally every big man in the league.
In 504 games with the Clippers, Griffin established himself as one of the best players in franchise history. He averaged 21.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists and made five All-Star teams. Griffin is second in Clippers history in points scored with 10,863.
During the summer of 2017, the Clippers signed Griffin to a five-year, $171.2 million contract. The power forward thought he would spend his entire NBA career in LA, but the Clippers shocked the basketball world in January of 2018 by trading Griffin to the Pistons.
Griffin had one good season on the Pistons in 2018-19. He averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists and led Detroit to the playoffs.
Unfortunately, Griffin underwent left knee surgery in the summer of 2019 and another procedure on the same leg during the 2019-20 season. He hasn’t been the same player since.
While the Nets wish they could turn back time and get prime Blake Griffin next to Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, it may be a good thing that Brooklyn is getting an older Griffin.
Los Angeles Clippers Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin once broke his hand after punching a Clippers equipment manager
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During the 2015-16 season, Blake Griffin showed how immature he was by punching the Clippers’ equipment manager in the face. Blake fractured his right hand in a fight with Matias Testi in Toronto.
Griffin and Testi were teasing each other at dinner before things became heated. The Clippers fined and suspended Griffin for his actions, and the NBA star apologized by writing a letter on Twitter.
Blake Griffin News
In October of 2014, Griffin was accused of slapping a man and taking his cellphone at a Las Vegas Strip nightclub. It’s worth mentioning, though, that the misdemeanor charge was later dropped.
Griffin turns 32 on March 16. He will be coming off the bench for the Nets and won’t have to carry the load on offense anymore. The five-time All-NBA performer is wiser off the court now despite no longer being a superstar basketball player.
While the Nets are hopeful that Blake Griffin can produce well for them, the franchise is glad they aren’t getting the youthful guy who broke his hand after punching an equipment manager.
The Nets should easily win the Eastern Conference
The Nets racked up the second-best record in the Eastern Conference before the NBA All-Star break. They have the top offense in the league with Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving leading the way.
Blake Griffin Injury
Blake Griffin has started every game he’s played in the NBA, but multiple reports have stated that the Nets plan to bring him off the bench. Brooklyn should easily win the East now with Griffin in the fold as the main cog of the second unit.
Stats courtesy of Basketball Reference.