Clippers’ Blake Griffin (quad) will miss rest of NBA playoffs
By Tom West
The Los Angeles Clippers’ season has essentially come to a heartbreaking end now: Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will both miss the rest of the 2016 NBA playoffs.
As Chris Paul somehow fractured his right hand on a routine play, going for a simple steal against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 4, his absence for the rest of the 2016 NBA playoffs was bad enough. The injury came just hours after Stephen Curry‘s MCL sprain gave the Los Angeles Clippers a sudden ray of hope that they could defeat the reigning champions in the second round. In an instant, that was a genuine possibility. Now, Paul is out and the unthinkable has just happened to make matters so much more dire: Blake Griffin is out for the rest of the playoffs, too.
Sorry, Clippers Nation. It’s hard to make this stuff up.
Griffin has been struggling to be 100 percent since returning on April 3, and despite a couple of strong showings early in the playoffs, his left quadricep injury was clearly bothering him in Game 4. He was hobbling into the second half, struggling to run or shift around the court with any kind of speed or comfort. In the fourth quarter, he was placed on the sideline clutching his leg.
And now, the day after Doc Rivers said Griffin would be 50/50 to play in Game 5, Rowan Kavner of Clippers.com has reported that he’ll be out for the entirety of the playoffs:
"Blake Griffin will miss the remainder of the postseason after aggravating the left quad injury that kept him out for half of the regular season…An MRI on Tuesday morning revealed no further structural damage, and Griffin will be ready for the start of training camp next season, but his 2015-16 playoffs are done."
Well, that’s that. Without Paul and without an off-form Griffin to fall back on as a new anchor in the post, the Clippers’ season is essentially over. They return home to Staples Center in an attempt to finish off the Blazers with the series tied at 2-2, but it won’t be easy against a feisty team who just won the last two games thanks to high effort to outwork the Clippers.
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And more importantly, the Blazers are fully healthy.
As for an update on Paul’s status, who we already knew would likely miss the rest of the playoffs, Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times has revealed that the fracture should keep him out at least four weeks:
"An orthopedic surgeon said Tuesday that he estimated Chris Paul would be sidelined at least four weeks because of the broken bone he sustained in his right hand also on Monday night."
After such promise with the second unit and defensive improvement during Griffin’s absence, not to mention a 2-0 series lead against the Blazers followed by Curry’s injury, it looked like the Clippers could actually make the Conference Finals for the first time ever.
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The Basketball Gods couldn’t find it in themselves to be that generous, though. Instead, in the worst way possible, the Clippers’ once again disappointing season ends in injury and sheer frustration, neither of which could be stopped.
Who knows what’s in store for the Clippers’ core now.