Blake Griffin was available to the media today at Playa Vista. He was in generally decent spirits for the cameras and microphones. Among the prevailing themes of his remarks was his acceptance that, in the back of his mind, he always knew that surgery was a possibility. That resignation made the news that he’d miss the remainder of the season a bit easier to swallow.
From my ESPN Los Angeles story:
The possibility of surgery on his fractured kneecap was always in the back of Clippers forward Blake Griffin’s mind, even as he slogged through the rehabilitation process with every intention of getting back on the floor before the All-Star break.
Once he experienced serious discomfort this week, that prospect became a reality. Griffin will undergo surgery Jan. 20 in Los Angeles. The current prognosis is for him to be off the court for between four and six months.
A stoic Griffin addressed the media Wednesday at the Clippers’ training facility. The rookie expressed disappointment that he won’t be able to take the floor this season, but he also conveyed a calm resolve at his misfortune.
“I don’t think of it as season-ending, because technically I haven’t started,” Griffin said. “I guess you could say it’s a debut-prolonging injury.”
… As difficult as the decision has been, Griffin noted that shutting it down for the season ends the waiting game, which was almost as excruciating as the rehab.
“It relieves any expectations for this season,” Griffin said. “Now I’m looking forward to next season.”
By not logging a single minute during the 2009-10 regular season, Griffin will officially start the 2010-11 season as a rookie. He’ll be eligible for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award, but other issues surrounding his status remain uncertain.
“Hopefully next year I won’t have to get doughnuts or wear a backpack or anything like that,” he said. “I’m going to sit down and have a meeting with the veterans, so we’ll see.”
10 Responses
“Debut-proloning injury”
lmao. Blake is a funny guy. Good that he’s in decent spirits.
Posted on January 14th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Hell, if he comes back healthy and they FINALLY win, I’ll bring them all doughnuts and carry a five-year-olds backpack
Posted on January 14th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Any plans to play for the national team?
Posted on January 14th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
Amazing attitude this kid has. Take your time, Blake. No need to rush, we ain’t going anywhere. The only place left to go is up and we want you to come along for the ride.
Posted on January 14th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
truly heartbreaking. but being a clipper fan, it makes it somewhat easier to deal with. we can still make a run for the playoffs. and hopefully blake will come back strong and hungry to play
Posted on January 14th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Kid has the best attitude, he deserves to be back
Asperis Reply:
January 14th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Yeah his attitude and pose throughout this whole ordeal has been nothing short of amazing. I can’t believe he’s only 20. He has his whole career ahead of him. It’s a shame his greatness will be prolonged.
Posted on January 14th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Gordon will be in a dunk off to try and get into the dunk contest.
Posted on January 14th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
At least he’s in good spirits about the whole ordeal, so hopefully the guys will give him a break on the rookie hazing next year. Pushing forward, the main thing about this season is to finish around .500 if not better. At this point, I see making the playoffs as a bonus.
rmb Reply:
January 14th, 2010 at 7:05 pm
PWT(point well taken).
I’m more concerned about Kaman. If his back pain is a minor issue, then we’ll be fine.
And Dunleavy needs to focus on keeping his starting 5 in good shape. Only way he can do it is by making bench players perform well for 20 mpg. Otherwise we’ll be falling into the same old trap.
Portland is not wasting their time by thinking too much about injuries. Their goal is to making it to playoff. They play for this season. And THIS season alone. Why not Clippers cultivate similar attitude? Why give up when it’s difficult?
Posted on January 14th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
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