The Clippers’ Blake Griffin, who hasn’t played since Christmas Day because of a partially torn quad tendon and a fracture in his right hand, is scheduled to return to action April 3rd, the team announced. Griffin will begin serving his team-imposed four-game suspension, which he received for a fight with assistant equipment manager Matias Testi, during today’s game.
A report earlier this week said coach Doc Rivers was preparing for the possibility that Griffin might be out for the rest of the regular season. Griffin has missed the last 41 games, but the Clippers have been able to succeed without him, winning 25 of their first 34 games after he was sidelined and coming into today’s action fourth in the West at 44-27.
Rivers isn’t sure if Griffin will start right away but said he wants to give him enough minutes to build his endurance, tweets Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times. He has been medically cleared for all basketball activities, according to the Clippers. A perennial All-Star, Griffin is averaging 23.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 32 games this season.