Hooped Up

After experiencing some discomfort during his recently-accelerated rehabilitation program, Clippers’ forward Blake Griffin was examined Tuesday afternoon by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.As a result of that examination, it has been determined that the healing in his left patella area has not improved to the expected required level. Griffin will undergo a surgical procedure in the near future, with a recovery prognosis of four to six months. Team personnel will be made available to the media. Further details will be made available as events develop.

Previously on December 23rd, after undergoing a CT Scan and MRI Griffin had been cleared to increase his rehabilitation workload.

Griffin, the first overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft, suffered a non-displaced stress fracture of his left patella during the Clippers’ last preseason game vs. the New Orleans Hornets on Friday, October 23rd.

Press Release

Coach Mike Dunleavy said it appears as if Griffin probably won’t be able to return until after Jan. 1 from the stress fracture in his left kneecap, slightly later than the team had originally hoped.

The power forward is scheduled to undergo X-rays in about 10 days. If doctors are satisfied with the results, Griffin could begin graduated weight-bearing exercises on a special machine.

“The final determination, the way I understand it, is a CT scan, which will show how the bone mends,” Dunleavy said. “When that looks like it’s really good, that’s when he’s cleared to do basketball-like activities” that could take up to two weeks before Griffin plays in a game.

“A lot of it depends on him and how he feels once he gets on the court and what he looks like,” Dunleavy said.

LA Times

Another van glorious season of NBA basketball is about to begin and Hooped Up does a quick and dirty preview of all 30 clubs.

The LA Clippers have been the NBA’s best D-League team for years because they’ve developed so much good talent for other teams over the years. With the drafting of Blake Griffin, that needs to stop. Read More »

This crazy Blake Griffin preseason dunk had some regular season repercussion, as Griffin injured his left knee on the play. Hopefully he’ll be able to play in the season opener tomorrow against the Lakers tomorrow, but that’s up in the air. If it makes you feel any better Blake, I injure myself on those kinda dunks every once in a while too.

Last night, the fake basketball season rolled on and the Lakers battled the Clippers in a home versus home match at the Staples Center. But there was nothing fake about the dunk Blake Griffin served DJ Mbenga with in the 4th quarter! The look on the face of Mbenga at (0:13) says it all.

At (0:37) that’s what it would look like if Griffin served Mbenga on the moon, after NASA blows up enough of the moon to make NBA fans an intergalactic arena.

After straining his right shoulder last month during the NBA’s Summer League, Clippers forward Blake Griffin has practiced shooting while abstaining from any contact drills, according to Coach Mike Dunleavy.

Griffin, whom the Clippers selected out of Oklahoma as the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, suffered the injury in the third game of Summer League. Doctors estimated on July 22 that he would be sidelined three to four weeks.

Los Angeles Times

Former Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin signed with the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, two weeks after the team made him the first overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

Griffin will make his pro debut Monday at 7:30 p.m. CDT when the Clippers open play in the NBA Summer League against the Los Angeles Lakers in Las Vegas.

Griffin was the consensus National Player of the Year after a sophomore season in which he averaged 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds for the Sooners. The 20-year oldOklahoma City native won every major postseason player of the year award.

The Oklahoman

Taking Blake Griffin with the No. 1 selection in the NBA draft was the incredibly simple move for the Clippers, the painfully easy open jumper, if you will. Now comes the hard part. ”It’s definitely going to take time, and it’s not all about me,” said Griffin on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

He was speaking minutes after the Clippers took him at No. 1, just the way General Manager and Coach Mike Dunleavy said they would do so back on the night of the draft lottery in May.
LA Times

The Clippers have won the draft lottery for the third time in their franchises history and they have already decided they want Blake Griffin. All I ask is that they do not make Blake Griffin a mediocre talent and they include progress as an option for once.

The Clippers have twice had the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, and will get it again for a third time, having won the league’s draft lottery Tuesday night at Secaucus, N.J. ”Clearly, we’re taking Blake Griffin,” Clippers General Manager and Coach Mike Dunleavy said in a telephone interview from Barcelona, Spain.

“This guy is the No. 1 pick. We’re extremely excited. He’s the guy.”

There wasn’t much of a question the Clippers would do anything other than take the dynamic, explosive forward from Oklahoma. Dunleavy, though, wasn’t about to be coy in the wee morning hours in Spain and erased any shred of doubt about the team’s intention in the draft June 25 in New York.

Even with so much promise of receiving the first pick in the NBA draft, based on their track record it’s sad to know that it went to the Clipppers. If Blake Griffin becomes a part of the change that’s needed with a team playing in one of the three biggest media markets in North America, then hats off to the Clippers organization.

But some how, I’m convinced they will spoil this opportunity too. I just hope I’m wrong for young and talented Blake Griffin’s sake.

Via LA Times