Clippers’ Blake Griffin will miss two months with knee injury
Clippers forward Blake Griffin sprained the medial collateral ligament injury of his left knee, the team announced Tuesday, and his timetable to return can be up to eight weeks with this type of injury.
Griffin, who was injured in the fourth quarter during the Clippers’ win over the Lakers at Staples Center Monday night, got an MRI Tuesday that revealed no structural damage to the his knee.
He was injured late in the fourth quarter on a freak play.
Lakers guard Lonzo Ball dribbled around Austin Rivers and into the lane. Ball lost the basketball, tried to retrieve it and lowered his shoulder into Griffin, knocking him over.
Rivers also converged on the play and fell into Griffin’s left knee, twisting him to the floor.
Griffin fell onto his back in pain.
He played for about a minute longer, but then was taken out by Clippers coach Doc Rivers with three minutes, 53 seconds left in the game.
Griffin was on his way to another dominant game, finishing with 26 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
Other takeaways from the Clippers’ 120-115 win over the Lakers:
1. Without Lou Williams tearing the Lakers apart, the Clippers would have been in trouble. Williams had a season-high 42 points, 14 in the decisive fourth quarter.
It was his third 40-plus point game and the first time a Clipper had scored at least that much since Griffin had 43 on Feb. 26 at Charlotte.
Williams’ career high is 44 points. He was 12-for-21 from the field, four-for-eight from three-point range.
2. It was not a stellar night for Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, who played only 30:57 because of foul trouble.
He had just nine rebounds and just nine points, with five turnovers and four fouls.
3. The Clippers didn’t help their cause by turning the ball over 17 times.
4. C.J. Williams, who is on a two-way contract that allows him to play for the Clippers and the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, played a nice role Monday night. He had seven points and two assists in 16:11.
Twitter: @BA_Turner
UPDATES:
12:35 p.m.: This article was updated with further information on Griffin’s injury.
This article was originally published at 11:05 a.m.
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