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Blake Griffin, mourning friend’s death, keeps up All-Star schedule

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Nothing has slowed, even the slightest, for Clippers rookie power forward Blake Griffin during this All-Star Weekend break (if you can call it that) from his regular-season schedule.

Commercial spots, photo shoots and nonstop interviews during the Clippers’ two-week trip gave way Thursday to Griffin practicing for Friday night’s rookie-sophomore game and appearing on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

Questions were raised whether Griffin would curtail or eliminate any of his planned All-Star activities after the death Wednesday of his close friend and former high school teammate Wilson Holloway, who had been battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

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But Griffin took part in his scheduled appearances Thursday and the Clippers said he would continue with the rest of his events, on and off the court. After the rookie-sophomore game, Griffin will compete in the slam dunk contest Saturday and play in the All-Star game Sunday.

Clippers rookie guard Eric Bledsoe also is in Friday night’s game and can compete with his former Kentucky teammate John Wall for the right to throw alley-oop passes to Griffin.

James Harden of the Oklahoma City Thunder is taking the spot of Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans on the sophomore team because Evans has an injured left foot (plantar fasciitis).

The Clippers travel to Oklahoma City on Monday to play the Thunder on Tuesday, marking Griffin’s homecoming. The funeral for Holloway is scheduled for Monday afternoon in Oklahoma City. It was unclear whether Griffin would attend the service, the Clippers said.

Griffin, 21, learned of Holloway’s death a few minutes after the Clippers beat the Timberwolves in Minneapolis on Wednesday night. A distraught Griffin was consoled by Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro and Baron Davis in a subdued locker room.

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

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