Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin was set to return soon from a partially torn quad that's kept him out for a month, but now he's set to miss more time with a right hand injury suffered in an altercation with Clippers assistant equipment manager Matias Testi in Toronto, according to ESPN's Michael Eaves and USA Today's Sam Amick. Griffin has a broken hand and is expected to miss the next 4-6 weeks, per the OC Register's Dan Woike.
Blake Griffin broke his hand in an altercation with Clippers equipment staffer
Griffin broke his right hand after reportedly hitting a Clippers equipment staff member multiple times in Toronto. Here’s what we know so far.
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Clippers are 11-3 without Griffin and sit in fourth in the Western Conference, but this is still bad news for the team. Not only is Los Angeles better in the long run with Griffin, but this is also a bad look for one of the league’s most marketable young stars. The Clippers are already released a statement and said they are conducting a “full investigation” into the incident.
Before the initial quad injury, Griffin was enjoying another excellent season, with averages of 23 points, nine rebounds and five assists. But now, it’s unclear when he’ll return to the lineup. Information is still trickling in about what happened and just how severe the injury is, so let’s take a look at what we do and don’t know about the situation.
What we know
- Griffin and a team equipment staffer, Matias Testi, got in an argument at a Toronto restaurant.
- Griffin hit Testi inside the restaurant, then followed him outside and hit him again.
- Griffin broke his hand in the altercation, per Woike.
- Griffin and Testi have been close friends for five years, per USA Today’s Sam Amick. Griffin posted this photo of Testi on Instagram in 2013.
- Testi was sent to a local hospital, treated for facial injuries and sent home. He is still experiencing “debilitating headaches” since the incident, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe.
- Griffin was sent home after the incident, as was the staffer.
- Griffin’s exact injury is a spiral fracture of fourth metacarpal, according to Ken Berger.
- Griffin issued an apology on Twitter:
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin32) January 27, 2016
What we don’t know
- What was the argument about?
- What specifically was the nature of the fight?
- Will Griffin will face any additional discipline from the Clippers or the NBA?
More details to come.
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