The Los Angeles Clippers released a statement over the weekend that star power forward Blake Griffin has been medically cleared and will begin serving his four-game suspension for punching an equipment manager.
Blake Griffin has been medically cleared to return.
Now it's time for his 4-game suspension https://t.co/HfsVPvhuj6 pic.twitter.com/ZcHuBViQz7
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) March 27, 2016
The Clippers 105-90 victory over the Nuggets Sunday that clinched them a playoff spot was the first of Griffin’s four-game suspension and he will sit out against the Celtics, Timberwolves and Thunder this week before returning next Sunday against the Washington Wizards.
Griffin has not played since Christmas Day, only appearing in 30 games for the Clippers this season after partially tearing his left quadricep and then infamously punching a team equipment manager during his recovery in January, breaking his hand in the process.
The Clippers have won exactly two-thirds of their games without Griffin going 28-14, and Chris Paul and J.J. Redick have had quite possibly the best seasons of their careers in his absence.
When Griffin returns against Washington the Clippers will have seven regular season games remaining, only of which against a team over .500. It will be interesting to see how the team adjusts to having a dynamic player like Griffin back in the lineup after adjusting to life without him.
As well as the Clippers have played with Griffin on the shelf, the fact remains that the Clippers need Griffin at his peak performance to have any hope of upsetting the juggernauts that are the Warriors and Spurs in the postseason as it feels like this will be the Clippers last run in the postseason with the “Lob City” crew.
