Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin will have a "routine arthroscopic procedure" on Tuesday to "remove loose bodies from his right knee," the team announced Monday. Griffin is expected to miss three to six weeks.
This news comes as a surprise. Griffin has played well for the Clippers since sitting out Dec. 10 against New Orleans because of right knee soreness. At the time, the Clippers said Griffin's sore knee wasn't serious. It turned out it was serious enough to warrant minor surgery.
It's not clear if something happened to exacerbate the issue in the last four games, but it didn't hurt his production -- since the game he missed, Griffin has averaged 23.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists, including a 26-point, seven-rebound, seven-assist performance in the Clippers' 117-110 loss to the Washington Wizards on Sunday.
A few thoughts:
- This is obviously a setback. Griffin has been having a fantastic season, and after having to miss most of last season, the last thing he wanted was another surgery, minor or not.
- It might not be much consolation, but the Clippers have proved in recent seasons to be capable of withstanding injuries to their stars. When Griffin is hurt, DeAndre Jordan and J.J. Redick usually see their numbers rise, while Chris Paul's usage goes through the roof.
- Let's not turn this into a catastrophe, at least not yet. The most important thing for the Clippers is that they're fully healthy in the postseason, not in late December. If Griffin returns next month and hits his stride as the playoffs approach, then Los Angeles will have absolutely done the right thing here.
