NBA News: Clippers Still Have No Timetable For Blake Griffin’s Return

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The start NBA playoffs are only a few weeks away with every team in contention gearing up for the postseason leading up to tipoff on April 16. One of those teams is the Los Angeles Clippers who have one of their best players on the mend.

Superstar forward Blake Griffin is dealing with a torn quadriceps and a fractured right hand. Both of these injuries have kept the perennial All-Star out a considerable amount of time. As if the consecutive injuries wasn’t bad enough, Griffin has a four-game suspension that will be tacked on once he’s officially back on the active roster.

Unfortunately for the Clippers, there’s no telling when Griffin will be ready. The 26-year-old still has no timetable for his return with the postseason right around the corner for Los Angeles. Head coach Doc Rivers recently commented on Griffin’s status via Dan Woike of OC Register:

Still, there’s no immediate timetable. Monday will be five weeks since Griffin underwent the initial surgery on his right hand.

“I mean, he’s not close or anything,” Doc Rivers said, “he’s just shooting a basketball.”

Before going down with his injuries, Griffin was averaging 23.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game for the Clippers. The Oklahoma product has only played in 30 games for Los Angeles this season.

Despite Griffin’s absence, the Clippers have been able to hold their own with Chris Paul leading the way. Los Angeles is currently sitting in the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a record of 38-20. Only the Oklahoma City Thunder (41-18), San Antonio Spurs (50-9), and Golden State Warriors (53-5) are ahead of Rivers’ squad at the moment.

If the standings stay the way they are in the West, the Clippers could be headed toward another matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies in the postseason. Memphis is sitting four games behind the Clippers in the standings and is on pace to face Los Angeles once again in the playoffs.