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.