Blake Griffin Likely To Miss First Round

A hobbled Blake Griffin, who willed the Detroit Pistons into the playoffs on an injured knee is likely to miss the team’s entire first-round series, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports writes.

Griffin has struggled with a left knee injury for several weeks now, missing four of Detroit’s final seven games and the club’s Game 1 defeat at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

When healthy, Griffin has been a miracle worker for the Pistons, averaging 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 75 regular season contests.

Griffin initially sprained his knee in late March and sat out three contests as a result of it but when he return to action, his knee swelled.

There’s no structural damage in the knee, Goodwill explains – and there’s technically a “slim chance” that the 30-year-old suits up for the team next weekend – but the franchise would be wise to consider the long-term picture.