October 27, 2009 9:00 am  |  38 Comments

Blake Griffin’s NBA Debut Delayed 6 Weeks


by Marcel Mutoni

Tonight was supposed to mark the beginning of a new era in LA Clippers basketball history. One filled with hope and reasonable amounts of success on the court. Instead, before even a single shot has been taken this season, the team is already behind the Eight Ball.

The Clippers and their star-crossed fans are heading into the new year weighed down by the all-too familiar feelings of frustration, depression and regret.

Blake Griffin has a broken knee cap and could be sidelined for up to six weeks. From the LA Times comes the grim news:

Clippers rookie forward Blake Griffin, the No. 1 overall draft choice in the NBA draft in June, has a stress fracture of the left patella, or kneecap, and could miss as much as six weeks. Tests on Monday revealed the fracture and a second opinion later in the day backed up the conclusion of the first doctor.

A Clipper spokesperson said it is a non-displaced fracture. But the team will take a conservative approach, meaning he could be out of action for the first 20 games or so of the NBA schedule. Griffin is also dealing with tendinitis of the left knee.

Griffin re-injured his left knee on a play that perfectly illustrates what it’s like to be a Clipper fan: moments of brief joy and excitement, quickly followed by disaster.

It’s not very fun to root for this franchise.

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  • Zop Posted: Oct.27 at 9:03 am
    hopefully he won’t be like Greg Oden

  • Holy Baller Posted: Oct.27 at 9:04 am
    AAARRRRGGHHHHH! I got tickets to go see the Clips play the Thunder in November. Dangit! This freakin sucks.

  • neaorin Posted: Oct.27 at 9:09 am
    obligatory Bill Simmons link: http://bit.ly/Kl5Ol

  • NUPE Posted: Oct.27 at 9:11 am
    The Clips doing the right thing my taking a conservative approach. Guess all the people in Vegas who bet on BG winning ROTY are upset too.

  • Cheryl Posted: Oct.27 at 9:16 am
    You know, I thought he hurt himself on that dunk that everyone was so excited about. He grabbed his knee even before he landed after the dunk. Dam, that’s too bad for him and the Clips. I was looking forward to seeing what they do this season. But, I guess if you have to have a major injury to a key player, it’s better to have it happen now than in February.

  • Jarrod Posted: Oct.27 at 9:34 am
    can someone say gred oden?

  • Eric Woodyard Posted: Oct.27 at 9:37 am
    This sucks! The Clips are cursed 4real…lol

  • Hussman25 Posted: Oct.27 at 9:41 am
    MY CLIPS ARE TRULY CURSED! This really stinks! I think all his injuries are due to his body. I truly hope this is not LJ (Larry Johnson) in the makin… Get well soon Blake we need you in La La land!

  • Hussman25 Posted: Oct.27 at 9:42 am
    He already had knee injuries @ OK; and I think he is a lil too top heavy anyway; he needs to slim down some to take the pressure off his knees B4 theyre gone!

  • wow Posted: Oct.27 at 9:44 am
    time to update your fantasy team kiddos…lol

  • Soundproof Posted: Oct.27 at 9:49 am
    Ahh! The Clipper curse is very real! I was hoping to see that LA vs LA game.

  • tavoris Posted: Oct.27 at 10:10 am
    so much for that ROY awards…James Harden, please step to the front of the line.

  • mike Posted: Oct.27 at 10:22 am
    tyreke evans step to the front of the line

  • niQ Posted: Oct.27 at 10:36 am
    Well this could go either way. He could end up like Greg Oden and have an injury filled season, or end up like Brandon Roy and finish the season off with Rookie of the Year..

  • Exist4eva Posted: Oct.27 at 10:38 am
    So whats TNT gonna do for opening night cause i dont wanna see LA beat up on LA anymore

  • Chukaz Posted: Oct.27 at 10:58 am
    The Lakers beating the cr@p out out of the clippers should still be fun. Baron Davis is hands down the sickest point guard in the league when he is healthy, so it shouldn’t be too bad. Stern should ban the clippers from drafting players that project to be at or above average

  • Rog123 Posted: Oct.27 at 11:02 am
    Blake should just fake his injury so bad that the clips won’t even want him anymore and are forced to trade/waive him. Its the perdect plan. He would then “revitalize” his career and put up 25 and 11 for the next 6-7 years

  • la huey Posted: Oct.27 at 11:08 am
    free blake griffin!

  • Orlando Green Posted: Oct.27 at 11:12 am
    Wow! Sucks for him…Sucks to be a Clipper fan.

  • Rome Posted: Oct.27 at 11:32 am
    I said it draft night, “dude better force a trade like Steve Francis!!!” He didnt do it, now look at him!!! If that were my son, I wouldve told him not to sign at any cost, even if you have to go to europe for a year. Its like being drafted QB by the Detroit Lions, you already know if you have any talent at all, you will either lose and/or get hurt, plain and simple.

  • Joe Posted: Oct.27 at 12:17 pm
    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

  • SLAM'sFAN Posted: Oct.27 at 12:17 pm
    here we go - another bum year for the Clippers :-(

  • TADOne Posted: Oct.27 at 12:29 pm
    C-U-R-S-E-D

  • onlyclipfanonslam Posted: Oct.27 at 12:58 pm
    I went deaf it hurt my ears so bad when I heard about it.

  • Bruno Posted: Oct.27 at 2:01 pm
    damn that Bill Simmons article was scary
    clippers are f@cked up

  • Vikturus Posted: Oct.27 at 2:32 pm
    That block/dunk highlight was kinda worth it though… I would sacrifice 6 weeks of ball for such a dunk cought on tape!

  • jose Posted: Oct.27 at 3:17 pm
    This just pisses me off.fro real…cant even see blake play his teams F*KKIN opening game damnit!this is so ughhh

  • PANAGIOTIS VASILOPOULOS Posted: Oct.27 at 3:21 pm
    @neaorin….:this was exactly the first thing that crossed my mind the moment i heard the news…i am clicking on his link almost every hour to see his comments after what happened!!!!

  • [...] Griffin. (Uh oh… the Clippers Curse struck one day before the season opened. Griffin will miss around 6 weeks with a knee injury. It’s a wide open R.O.Y. race, [...]

  • Garrett Posted: Oct.27 at 3:48 pm
    Wow. That Simmons article was prescient.

  • Allenp Posted: Oct.27 at 5:53 pm
    Memphis paper has a story about Iverson and his situation including quotes from Richard Hamilton that appear to back up what Iverson has previously said about Curry.
    Just in case y’all were wondering.

  • JD Posted: Oct.27 at 5:54 pm
    Who would support a team who are really big losers and are also unlucky, when you’ve got one of the most sucessful frachises in the leeague both now and in the past,on your doorstep?

  • buschfire Posted: Oct.27 at 6:18 pm
    wow, that sucks for the clippers

  • lb1 Posted: Oct.27 at 6:36 pm
    they shouldve sat him the whole preseason, just to make sure he didnt get hurt..come on 6 weeks!not good

  • PANAGIOTIS VASILOPOULOS Posted: Oct.27 at 6:47 pm
    @Allenp…..: i knew from the start that my cute answer did rverything right, i just knew it!!!!
    IVERSON!!!! STARBURY!!!! IVERSON!!!! STARBURY!!!!
    IVERSON!!!! STARBURY!!!! IVERSON!!!! STARBURY!!!!
    IVERSON!!!! STARBURY!!!! IVERSON!!!! STARBURY!!!!IVERSON!!!! STARBURY!!!! IVERSON!!!! STARBURY!!!!

  • onlyclipfanonslam Posted: Oct.27 at 7:10 pm
    to answer JD. The Clippers are much more accessible to fans than the Lakers are. Lakers Tickets are extremely overpriced, meanwhile Clippers tickets are a steal (considering you have the ability to see everyone in the league play). I have been a fan for 15 years, and have seen every single player anyone would want to see play over that timeframe. JD I’m sure you haven’t been to over 240 games in person. I root for the Clippers because I go to the games and buy their tickets. But, for the most part being able to see LeBron, Paul, Wade, Kobe, Dwight, KG, Duncan, Granger, Durant, etc etc play for the same price of a 2 courtside Lakers tickets you would understand. I don’t hate any team, even the Lakers, because I enjoy watching at least 1 player on every team.

  • Joe Posted: Oct.27 at 9:18 pm
    what a suprise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • hair salon london Posted: Oct.28 at 5:37 am
    Out up to 6 weeks…….. a big surprise…………

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